Winning hearts and minds in Transdniester

On 18 November 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush posed for photos in Vietnam wearing what appeared to be a nightgown. Looking goofier than ever in the get-up, the full length dress was actually a traditional "ao dai." Russian President Vladimir Putin, standing next to him, had to slink into one, too.

The Vietnam-visit of George W. Bush showed the United States embracing a former enemy that remains communist but is allowing capitalism to surge. During the visit, Bush acknowledged that the two sides didn't see eye to eye on everything. He added that "but nevertheless, we both adopt a spirit of mutual respect and the desire to work through our problems."

Fast forward eight months:
On 18 July 2007, U.S. Ambassador Michael Kirby posed for photos in Transdniester in front of the flag of a country which his government doesn't recognize and wearing the yellow scarf of a youth group advocating the independence which his government is against.

The occasion was a visit to the offices of Breakthrough ("Proriv", in Russian), a pro-independence youth group and registered political party in Tiraspol, the capital of Transdniester. Accompanied by embassy staff, the ambassador sat down for a two hour give-and-take with leadership and members of the organization.

Was it deliberate that he picked a meeting with the largest and, on the face of it, most anti-American youth organization in the region? He could have gone to a Soros-funded youth group (yes, they are in Transdniester too) for some softball questions. He could have picked some of the former grant recipients of U.S. funding (several of those in Transdniester, too). But none of them share broad, popular support or are representative of the mood of a wider segment of the population. Instead, he went to "Breakthrough."

"Breakthrough" unconditionally supports Transdniester's independence and want it recognized as a free and sovereign country. By extension, this also means support for pro-independence leader Igor Smirnov - but this support is not always mutual, and "Breakthrough" complains that it is being excluded from the airwaves of state run media. It occupies a space between the clear opposition (parties like "Renewal" and Transdniester's two communist parties) and clear pro-presidential supporters (parties like "Respublika" and "Pridnestrovie Patriotic Party", the latter being run by the president's son). In this middle space there are issues where the organization supports president Igor Smirnov and others where it supports the opposition-led parliament. This political independence and flexibility was also shown at the meeting with U.S. ambassador Michael Kirby, with one of the group's leaders pointing out that there are areas where it agrees with the United States just as there are areas where it doesn't.

And then Michael Kirby started his public diplomacy tour-de-force. At no point during his visit did he budge on America's official position ("no independence for Transdniester"), yet at the same time he succeeded in winning over hearts and minds in Tiraspol by showing a willingness for frank and open debate.

Sergei Ilchenko, a fiery political commentator whose views are often published by the "Breakthrough"-owned news agency PMR News, made that very clear in his gushing review of the visit. A quote:

"The ambassador turned out to be a lively and smart man. He actually answered the questions - anyone who ever had the privilege to be in a press conference of diplomats will know that this is rare. Behind vague language, most ambassadors don't say anything of substance. But this wasn't the case here. There was actual conversation, and both sides clearly stated their positions.

Kirby didn't try to soften his views, but he did listen respectfully to the other side without pontificating or hiding behind vague language or demagogic tactics, while making sure - gently, but effectively - that the other side did the same. A lively dialogue took place."

In the same spirit, Ambassador Kirby quoted Voltaire: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." He said that this was how he was brought up. These are the values that stood America well throughout the Cold War against the Soviet bloc, giving us and our Western allies the higher moral advantage. Turn back on them - by giving the hardliners in Moldova a blank check to unilaterally define the terms of Transdniester's future - and America is basically turning back on what made us great.

Like Putin and Bush both slinking into the same silly-looking dress, Michael Kirby's rendez-vous with "Breakthrough" followed in the footsteps of a similar meeting carried out by a high representative of the Russian president. Modest Kolerov, a Kremlin envoy in charge of relations with communities abroad, had also visited the same youth group on an earlier occasion and had himself posed for similar photos with an identical yellow scarf around his neck. If Russia can do it, the United States needs to get in there and play ball, too.

While visiting Vietnam, Bush stated clearly that the two sides had disagreements and differences but also recognized the possibilities for collaboration and fruitful partnerships on many fronts.
"History has a long march to it, and societies change and relationships can constantly be altered to the good," said George W. Bush.

Amen to that. All it takes is the right approach to the art of diplomacy.

See also:
» American ambassador's Tiraspol visit seen as public diplomacy win

Columnist Michael Garner is a regular contributor to The Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review. Some of his writings published here include "Echoes from Kosovo reach Pridnestrovie, bringing new hope to status talks", "Rethinking America's Transdniester policy", "Right to self-determination vs. inviolability of borders" and "No precedents in the unique case of Transdniester".