Living together is easier - 16 December, 2002 - News

The USSR to be revived?

For already two years, there is a public union in Bishkek, called For Kirghiz Union with Russia and Byelorussia. It was created in 2000 by some deputies, scientists, and activists of non-governmental organiziations. Initially, that were mainly left-wing politicians who could not resign themselves with the USSR collapse. Though, gradually, the idea of integration renewal, at least for some former USSR republics, started to attract other Kirghiz people, too, who earlier were not noticed in sympathies with communists.

The Slav University professor, Klara Azhibekova, for example, supposes the centripetal tendencies have their objective reasons. “Since, through some circumstances, Kirghizia became independent, - she says, - it became more isolated from its traditional partners. Having lost old economical relations and not established new exits to the world market, Kirghizia is stewing in its own juice. While because of endless joblessness in Kirghizia, hundreds of thousands Kirghiz citizens have to look for job in Russia and other GUS countries.

Now, four political parties and over 20 political organizations are members of the movement For Union with Russia and Byelorussia. But the number of people supporting unit with former USSR republics continues to grow, especially after conception of Russian-Byelorussian union after European Union model was accepted, proposed by Vladimir Putin, where sovereignty of every member state is reserved.

It should be admitted that a serious stimulus to this aspiration for unit was the Russia decision to close its borders for illegal immigrants, including thousands of Kirghiz citizens who now freely cross neighbouring countries’ borders. Life has shown that it is time to chose, it is time to form its attitude towards integration issue.

Ironically, the situation has changed attitude towards the Russian-Byelorussion union even in the most radical nationalists. The Legislative Assembly Zhegorku Kenesha deputy, Adakhan Madumarov once critically spoke about the Askar Akaev idea to turn Kirghizstan into common house for all peoples living in it. And now Adakhan Madumarov supports the idea of double citizenship.

One more fact is also very important: Kirghizia was among first GUS countries which admitted Russian to be official language in the state. Today, in Bishkek, Russian-language papers are being freely spread: the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Argumenty i Fakty, the Komsomolskaya Pravda, as well as almost all Moscow TV channels, both state and independent, are being broadcasted. This fact witnesses that Kirghizia is being recovered from its euphoria of the first independence years, which was won by integration spirits and sober view on the today’s situation of the state in the cruel world, where it is easier to live not alone, but with support of a true friend and ally, like Russia.

Yury Razgulaev PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/1/last_news_2.html