Unofficial translation from Russian

Moscow has been following with concern the mounting social tension in Latvia over the persistent striving of the authorities to effect on September 1, 2004, the transfer of Russian secondary schools preeminently to the Latvian language of instruction, which causes natural resistance from tens of thousands of schoolchildren, their parents and teachers and a number of public organizations. As has been announced, on April 15-16 and May 1, 2004, the Headquarters for Protection of Russian-Language Schools is planning to hold a protest action against the moves of official Riga, which, judging by the latest decision of the Saeima rejecting the amendments proposed by deputies from the Association for Human Rights in Integrated Latvia to place a moratorium on the introduction of the school "reform," stubbornly refuses to hear the voice of the country's public.

In this situation instead of a search for compromise solutions through a dialogue with the Russian-speaking public a "fresh" thought has occurred to some people in Riga - why not blame the intrigues of Moscow and the actions of its representatives and the "fifth column" for the public discontent once again? And this is even though the absurdity of such insinuations is obvious not only to the Latvian authorities, but also to their foreign backers.

Riga ought to understand that if under farfetched pretexts matters go as far as new unfriendly steps with regard to Russia, the full responsibility for their consequences will fall on the members of the Latvian establishment who continue to live in a world of Cold War stereotypes.

April 12, 2004