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By John Kaponi The hawkish stance of the British government following the decision of foreign secretary David Milliband to visit the Ukraine has escalated the tensions between the UK and Russia marking a new nadir in relations between Moscow and London. In statements made prior to his visits to the Ukraine the foreign secretary said: “I am holding talks today with international partners and will be visiting Ukraine tomorrow to ensure the widest possible coalition against Russian aggression in Georgia.' Milliband is a figure deeply unpopular in Russia with his family ties being attacked by an aide of former Russian leader Vladimir Putin Gleb Pavlovsky who said in 2007 Samuel Milliband (grandfather of David Milliband) fought under the command of Trotsky in the Twenties, eliminating White Russians opposed to communism. In fact this was untrue as Samuel Milliband was never involved in the killing of Russians. Accusations of anti-antisemitism have been leveled at the comments of Pavlosky in a Russia were Jews are on the whole looked upon in a very negative light, But the tensions in Russia stem from the insistence of the West to recognise the breakaway enclave of the former Yugoslavia Kososvo against the insistence of the Russians that this would be very damaging to the stability of the region. The US and the UK continued without due consideration of Russian concerns on the issue to establish international recognition. Today the leading Turkish newspaper published an article which outlined the dangers ahead for the international community in this tit-for-tat action. "Just a few months ago, the situation in Cyprus came to table while Kosovo's independence was being discussed. At that time the world was asked: "Why the same respect, which is being shown to Kosovo's choice for self-determination, is not being shown to Turks living in the north of the Cyprus, who have their own flag, lands, border and administration?" "It will be inevitable that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus issue would be sound more loudly with South Ossetia and Abkhazia's independence struggle, which was being whispered during the process of Kosovo’s independence. "In short "the tension on our doorstep" brought an enormous risk to Turkey; Ankara was faced with a major war risk" being sandwiched between its large neighbor, MOSCOW , with whom it wants good relations and the super power and "traditional ally" Washington."The Cyprus talks are at a critical stage with the international community saying to both sides that this is the last chance saloon for a settlement. But with the Russian recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia may give the Turks enough ammunition to insist on a two separate entities in Cyprus and lead to a formal division. A move which contradicts the efforts of the current British government who appointed the north London MP Joan Ryan as “special adviser” to the Prime Minister for Cyprus. Georgia was misled by the US and UK in its actions in South Ossetia according to diplomatic sources contacted by the London Daily News. One Georgian diplomat in London said “when our troops advanced on August 7 in South Ossetia's capital Tskhinval we all had the impression that the Americans or the British would provide assistance. The Russian's sent their tanks into South Ossetia the next day and within hours we were driven out by Russian forces that advanced on into Georgian territory outside South Ossetia.” Moreover the continual escalation of tensions in the region which may now spill over into neighbouring states like the Ukraine or Moldova, may also engulf countries like Cyprus. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is advised by many in the diplomatic world to review the status of the foreign secretary and remove a potential rival to his position. photo credit: flicklr.com
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