[Peace-discuss] From Finland, comments on the sanctions against Russia

[Karen Aram via Peace-discuss]

"Here
is a voice from the fringes of Europe, Finland, which is one of countries whose
economy will suffer relatively more than other EU countries,
alongside the Baltic republics and Poland. Their history is different from ours,
and they have traumatic memories from the Soviet occupation. They joined the
NATO and moved the borders of the NATO closer to Russia and they have been very
vocal on issues concerning their security guarantees and a tough stance on
Russia. Finland has not. And on the basis of history, who cares about Finland?
No one. We are a buffer zone, that is very clear.

Thanks, you dummies in the EU and in the
US, incl. our Prime Minister. ----Now, who is going to pay for the
consequences? Russia bans imports of US, EU agricultural products. 

 "By
the end of 2013, the major importers of dairy products to Russia were:

1.
Finland, with 17,8000 tons worth US$19.6 million dollars; 

2. Estonia, with 8,300 tons worth $19.4 million;

3. Poland, with 3.8 tons worth $8 million; 

4. Lithuania, with three tons worth $7.3 million, according to Russia’s Federal
Customs Service."


I
will never forgive our pro- NATO politicians who only view the world from the
Brussels perspective and who have no experience in how to deal with our big
neighbour Russia (1200 kms of shared land border), and no interest, to learn,
either, for that matter. They have destroyed the whole post-WWII legacy of the
politicians who HAD to learn the hard way to learn to balance how to deal with
a big neighbour whom we needed but who did not need us. Finlandisierung,
finlandization it was called during the Cold War era. However, the legacy of
the balancing act was based on subtle nuances, it was not black and white, and
the relationship transformed itself with the times. It was based more on
face-to-face personal contacts and a "family" types of relationships.


These
relationships were continued by such different personalities as President
Paasikivi (a Conservative banker) in the 1950s, Kekkonen (a power hungry chess
player, a strategist) and Ms. Tarja Halonen in the 2000s ( a smart lawyer who
is tough as hell under her auntie demeanour. She got along so well with Putin
that Putin gave a cat - a sign of appreciation, which was widely misinterpreted
as disrespect). The new Conservative banker President Niinistö is sort of
following these policies. He gets the idea. Our PM does not.


Even
in the Cold War era, the tough cookies of the Kreml, called Finland a
"friend". This word in the Russian political vocabulary means both
responsibilities and rights for both parties. It means continuity, stability,
balance, no abrupt changes, a sort of a trust, etc. - "you don't rock the
boat; so I won't rock the boat". Russia's Northwest border was secure for
them. I was very lucky to grow up at the frontier zone between Fin and Russia
at various military posts in the Cold War era. The borders were closed but the
Russian colonels and the Finns had regular border negotiations where they
cooked, went to sauna, got drunk together. The "uncles" were always
nice to us kids and brought chocolates with them because they knew the soldiers
had kids. 

Idealistic?
No, it was practical and it worked. We had the same culture, only the language
was different. It was not up to us that the border was closed. 

And
now???? I don't like it that some idiot LSE and Sorbonne educated PM in
Helsinki says the sanctions are necessary and joins the demonizing Putin
chorus. Things are not that simple."

 		 	   		  
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