A chara, - Claudine Gaidoni (January 3rd) reminds us of the hollowness at the heart of Western pronouncements on human rights. While Russia wages a vicious, unnecessary war in violation of many of the basic tenets of international law, the mandarins of Brussels and Washington have decided that even the most basic financial and economic sanctions are not to be invoked - an effective green light to the Russian government.
Our own Foreign Minister, David Andrews, admitted last month that the Russian government's attempt to impose a military solution in Chechnya was wrong. Yet in the same breath he opposed any move to punish Russia for this massive violation of human rights. "The question of economic sanctions against the Russian Federation," said Mr Andrews in the Dail with no obvious sign of embarrassment, "is one which requires very careful consideration. The Government is not convinced at this stage that economic sanctions against Russia would be effective in relation to the objectives of the international community concerning Chechnya."
Has a more honest acknowledgement of the death of independent Irish foreign policy ever been given? As for at what stage sanctions might be appropriate, that is a mystery known only to those who determine policy priorities in the West (certainly not to Mr Andrews). Judging by their current inertia, it is most likely when Grozny has been destroyed and its population slaughtered. - Yours, etc.,
Donncha O'brien, Waterloo Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.