David Rupp: Die Rußländische Föderation und die russischsprachige Minderheit in Lettland
A case study of Moscow's policy towards the lawyer russo-speaking minorities in the "Near Abroad" 1991-2002 . Ibidem Verlag, Stuttgart 2007th 152 pages. ISBN 978-3-89821-778-1 , 24.90 €.
Publisher Info: a result of the collapse the Soviet Union were to some 25 million Russian-speaking people in the former Soviet republics of minorities. The largest Russian-speaking communities were in 1991 in Estonia, Kazakhstan and Latvia. The Russian Federation (RF) claimed in 1991 a lawyer for these people, who were often deprived of the possibility of obtaining the citizenship of their home country and participate in political life.
The present study investigated in Latvia, the credibility of this law claim. Against the background of Russian foreign policy 1991-2002, the Latvian citizenship policy and to Russian Advocate policies described.
The foreign policy of Russia went through three phases, which are traced as a result of national discourses. Of cooperative politics at the beginning of the decade over the attempt neo-imperial penetration of the post-Soviet foreign operates the RF since the millennium, a level-headed power politics. The Latvian citizenship policy is the period of investigation also changes: at the beginning of the decade, the Russian-speaking minority has been denied naturalization, a restrictive regime was preceded by a law that now allows virtually every resident of Latvia to apply for citizenship. The Advocate policy of Russia took the other hand, no strict way. Carefully calculated power-politics, polemics and helpless apathy took over from each other.
The verdict is cautious but clear: the sincerity of the Russian law claim is dubious. Little to support the view that Russia has always said to want to serve the interests of the vulnerable. Rather, can say, because of the local findings: Moscow has used them only as an appropriate vehicle to achieve other foreign policy interests.
