Joschka Fischer sees the recent EU setback in signing an association agreement with Ukraine a " Blunder" and puts the blame on EU leaders and not on Viktor Yanukovich. The EU's official position is that the door remains open for Ukraine, yet not without strings attached. Yanukovich has his support base among the rich manufacturers in East Ukraine. He and his cronies will have to play by the EU rules and lose their gains, if he agrees to sign the agreement.

It is true that Ukraine is a divided country. Let us hope that the Ukrainians will find a "peaceful, democratic solution" to their East/West differences, without involving "a lot of violence". Hence it is inconceivable how Mr. Fischer can suggest "this will be found only within the status quo" ?

Has Mr. Fischer forgotten the visa scandal a decade ago? His Green Party was criticised of endorsing a much greater relaxation of Germany's rigorous visa regime while he was Germany's foreign minister. Thanks to this liberal policy the German Consulate in Ukraine had been lax and issued visas that allowed about 300.000 Ukrainians to visit Germany. This led to an influx of illegal workers who were willing to work for much lower wages, while some were involved in organised crime and prostitution.

Why does Mr. Fischer prefer Ukraine's "status quo"? Perhaps he also dismisses Ukraine's strategic significance to Europe. After he stepped down in 2005 he became a Princeton professor and - among others - a strategic consultant for a transnational pipeline. The Nabucco pipeline will bring gas from the Caspian region through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria to Europe. The EU gave the project its backing in 2006 as it hoped to cut its dependence on gas from Russia, when it starts its operation in 2018.



The "considerable concern" that Mr. Fischer sees is that the "European security" might be "at risk", which would be deeply felt in "Poland and the Baltic States", with "Yanukovych’s rejection of the association agreement". It is doubtful if these countries share his fear!



