Elisabeth Rehn, who served as a UN special envoy in Bosnia, has followed recent developments in Ukraine with concern. She says that the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent statements are reminiscent of Serbian outbursts prior to the outbreak of ethnic strife in the Balkans.
“It was a horrible feeling when president Milosevic gave a speech at Kosovo Polje, and he said that you Serbs will never again be kicked around and insulted,” said Rehn.
"And we know what happened in the Balkans after that speech: civil war, which tore apart the former Yugoslavia,” said Rehn.
In Rehn’s opinion tensions are rising in global politics.
“There is a little flavour of the cold war in all this,” said Rehn.
Rehn’s views on possible Nato membership have not changed: she thinks Finland should join the alliance. Current tensions might prevent that happening, however.
“I hope that now this will be properly considered,” said Rehn. “But in this kind of situation it’s childish to believe that we would be accepted. We’re a bit of a difficult case now.”
Events elsewhere might also have an effect inside Finland, according to the former presidential candidate.
“I’m afraid that some kind of animosity between Finnish citizens and Russians who live here will develop,” said Rehn. ”We have been a good society, without any kind of argy-bargy. If this somehow damages relations, then it’s the kind of internal threat that I really don’t want to see.”
