As long as the tiniest chance remains of the kidnapped security police officer Eston Kohver to be returned from Russia by cooperation of intelligence agencies in both countries – Estonia’s Security Police (nicknamed the Kapo) and FSB – Estonia is not going down the path of applying international pressure.
«While hope is alive for the incident to be solved via communications between the intelligence services, it makes no sense to raise a large-scale clenched fist as this may have the opposite effect,» interior minister Hanno Pevkur said last night, having been in contact with his Russian counterpart, explaining our wishes and the other party presenting their options.
Following that, the two intelligence services have been in direct contact. Even so, considering the high status of Mr Kohver’s and the fact the man has succeeded in catching several traitors thus whetting the Russian «appetite», the hope may fall into the category of naive.
Viewing Estonia’s current troublesome situation from the outside, New York University professor Mark Galeotti and the British columnist Edward Lucas said in Postimees, yesterday, that in addition to endeavours by Estonia, the entire NATO and the European Union ought to take their stand for a speedy release for Mr Kohver.
Mr Lucas thinks Russian ambassadors in all NATO and EU states must be called on the carpet and told that if Mr Kohver isn’t released their services are no longer needed.
Mr Lucas writes that Russian ambassadors should be summoned in all NATO and European Union capitals, to be told that if Mr Kohver is not released at once, they can pack their bags. If that’s the case, all NATO and EU member state ambassadors in Moscow should be withdrawn.
«That might show Russia that Mr Obama was not joking when he declared that an “attack on one is an attack on all”. Mr Kohver is that one. All Estonia feels under attack. But where are Estonia’s friends?» asked Mr Lucas.
Strasbourg talk coming soon
As assured by foreign minister Urmas Paet, contact with our allies and partners has been constantly maintained these past five days. According to him, every country can decide for themselves how to show support.
«Some states have already issued public statements and taken other steps to support,» said Mr Paet. «Everyone can state its case and also ask for the person to be sent back to Estonia. This, at the moment, is the political-moral stand other countries can take.»
As underlined by finance minister Jürgen Ligi, among key ministers briefed yesterday at Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas’ by Estonian security chiefs on the state of affairs, all our diplomatic steps will remain within the framework of diplomacy i.e. not all that’s being done is necessarily for public knowledge.
What counts most is the security police officer to be released. «This will be the focus of the entire agenda and we may not make the arrest of Mr Kohver more interesting, politically, than it [actually] is,» said Mr Ligi.
According to the MEP Tunne Kelam, the release of Mr Kohver has repeatedly been the talk among the 271-member European People’s Party fraction where, in addition to him, the issue has also been raised by Latvian and Hungarian colleagues. According to the latter, the entire Europe ought to react to the kidnapping of the Estonia, as the act is, among other things, a provocation by the Russian president Vladimir Putin to undermine the credibility of the West.
According to Mr Kelam, the fraction is now busy compiling materials for the Strasbourg plenary meeting next week where the release of Mr Kohver will be discussed parallel to sanctions towards Russia.
«The European Union is in a very weak state, as a gap has appeared between the majority supporting the anti-Russia sanctions and the minority which is against. This is [a] very serious [issue] and serves to substantially weaken the credibility of the European message,» said Mr Kelam. «Releasing Mr Kohver could be part of some deal, but with the relations in the shape they’re in right now, no deal seems real – regrettably.»
Security expert Eerik-Niiles Kross and Riigikogu foreign affairs committee chairman Marko Mihkelson agree: the current approach by Estonia to try and settle the kidnapping between us and Russia is right.
«Here, verily, the rule applies that is makes sense to act first and interpret later,» said Mr Kross. «While tactically is has made sense to keep this an isolated incident between Estonia and Russia, the implications for NATO are there anyway – as in future NATO-Russia relations it would be difficult to overlook an imprisoned official.»
This will also mean that the moves for applying diplomatic pressure via allies are within Estonia’s reach, while not utilised as yet. «I would definitely not exclude that, at a certain point of time, these [levers] could be needed,» said Mr Mihkelson.
The decision is partly due to the foreign-political situation: it’s merely a time-out with the Ukrainian crisis, the European Union is planning fresh sanctions against Russia, and the NATO summit vowed new units into Eastern Europe.
«All signs are pointing towards escalating tensions in West-Russia relations, and in a situation like this Russia is especially keen to highlight spy stories of this sort. Possibly the whole thing will be turned into some major propaganda campaign,» suggested Mr Mihkelson.
Meeting the consul
The positive piece of news of Mr Kohver at long last granted a meeting with the Estonian consul in FSB prison may get no happy sequel today. Namely, a meeting is planned between Estonian and Russian border representatives – a key issue in the entire conflict. After Mr Kohver got kidnapped Friday morning, at 1.40 pm border representatives of both sides signed minutes clearly indicating that the incident happened 30 metres from the Estonia-Russia border – on the Estonian territory.
Official delegations are in no hurry to ratify said document. The four hour initial meeting between the two parties proved unfruitful.
For foreign minister Mr Paet, what matters most right now is the meeting of Mr Kohver and Signe Matteus, head of consular department in Estonian embassy in Moscow. «Yesterday, the consul became the first person seen by Eston Kohver who stands with him in this issue,» said the minister. «He was assured of Estonian society backing him up. He received a message from his close family. That’s what matters most.»
According to Mr Paet, the Russian side is continuing with their so-called pre-trial procedure and they have two months for preliminary investigations. Estonia is currently busy seeking an advocate for Mr Kohver. «It is important to find an advocate who could daily deal with the issue there, on location,» said the foreign minister.