Thursday, March 5, 2009

Translating the BBC's oblique language

The BBC reports:

Nato ministers have agreed to resume high-level contacts with Russia, making what US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called a "fresh start". Relations conducted through the Nato-Russia Council had been frozen by Nato in protest at the brief war last summer between Russia and Georgia.

Mrs Clinton said areas of mutual concern included Afghanistan.

translation: NATO sulking at Russia for beating Georgia in 4 days did not yield anything useful, and now the USA/NATO realize they need Russia to at least passively not oppose their war in Afghanistan.

But UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC that it was not "business as usual" with Moscow. Mrs Clinton added that Nato must leave open the door to membership for Georgia and fellow ex-Soviet state Ukraine.

translation: we go from 'admitting' to 'leaving the door open', that is NATO-speak for 'back down'.

Earlier, Russia's envoy to Nato defended the war against Georgia and said any new relationship with Nato would be on Moscow's own terms.

translation: Rogozin basically told NATO 'we don't need you, you need us'