Русская версияSchroeder has been adamant in his insistence that Georgia was at
fault and the chief protagonist in its recent conflict with Russia.
In light of these comments, however, Schroeder, who developed close
ties with Moscow during his seven years in office, has come under
fire himself, with observers insisting he has a vested interest in
EU-Russia relations.
"More and more the sentiment is that the former chancellor has an
imbalanced relationship from his previous position," Christian
Social Union foreign policy spokesman Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
told the
Passauer Neuen Presse
on Monday, Aug.
18. "Each of his declarations is an affront to
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier."
Gazprom connection
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Schroeder heads Nord Stream project, which is heavily connected to
Gazprom
Schroeder's critics have said such derision may have also been
catalyzed by the fact that the former chancellor has firm
connections with Russian energy giant Gazprom.
Schroeder currently chairs the Nord Stream consortium, an energy
concern overseeing a planned natural gas pipeline from Russia to
Germany under the Baltic Sea. The pipeline would bypass countries
such as Poland and Lithuania, thus depriving them of tax revenue.
Gazprom is a major player in Nord Stream, of which Schroeder was a
major proponent while still in office. He initialed the go-ahead
for the Baltic project, along with then Russian President Vladimir
Putin, in September 2005, only weeks before the end of his tenure
as chancellor.
Eckart von Klaeden, foreign policy spokesman for the Christian
Democratic Union parliamentary party faction, touched on this in
his criticism of the former chancellor.
"The recriminations were predictable," he told 24-hour news channel
n-tv on Monday. "Schroeder is the prominent voice of Moscow in
Germany."
The free-market liberal FPD party secretary general Dirk
Niebel told the station he thought Schroeder was willing to do
anything his employer asked.
"[Schroeder's] one-sided attribution of blame is in line with the
motto: He who pays the piper calls the tune," Niebel said.
Reoccurring controversy
Tracking back to 2005, a mere two weeks after he left office,
whispers of corruption surfaced after it became apparent Schroeder
may sign on with Gazprom.
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The US military flew 2,000 Georgian troops home from Iraq after
Georgia recalled them
Editorialists at several German newspapers as well as politicians
of Germany's political parties were highly critical of his planned
involvement with Nord Stream.
Schroeder, however, continues to insist the EU press ahead with
forming a "strategic partnership" with Russia, saying Europe risked
losing influence and pushing Moscow towards China if it did not
work with the Kremlin.
Other European politicians, particularly in capitals of former
Soviet satellite nations, have called for a re-evaluation of
European-Russian ties.
(Deutsche Welle)
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