A conference “disputed territory on the border of Europe” should be in Bucharest at September 7, 2018. The organizer of this action is the Institute for Connecting Science and Society, Geneva, Switzerland. The most interesting thing is that the participants of this event will not discuss the lands that are already hybrid annexed or occupied, for example, Crimea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria or LDPR. They are already going to determine whether it is expedient to consider Transcarpathia, Bukovina and Bessarabia as Ukrainian territories. In other words, it is an attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine. And this all goes under the patronage of the “Swiss” institute and in the context of the Kremlin’s strategic concept for the near future.
“It is proposed to address to three main cases – three adjacent territories that are” controversial “in both international and anthropological plans: Transcarpathia, Bukovina and Bessarabia”, – the announcement of event said.
In general, at first glance, it may seem that this is about another betrayal from Europe. However, every time something like this happens, we recall the letter of the State Duma of Russia from March 24, 2014, sent to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Poland and Romania, with a proposal to split Ukraine into four parts. This conference is definitely something similar to this provocation.
That is why we decided to consider and analyze, under whose “flag” the conference actually will be held. And do not be surprised, it will take place under the flag of the Kremlin, despite the Swiss organizer.
Fictitious institution
According to the data of the commercial register and economic information “Moneyhouse”, the Institute for Connecting Science and Society (ICSS) was established in Swiss Geneva. Its registered office is ch. de l’Ancien-Puits 11, 1213 Petit-Lancy. And Kremlin decided to establish it on March 12, 2017 – that is, just over a year ago. Based on the legal form of ownership, it is an association.
In accordance with the statute, the Institute aims to bridge the gap between the production of scientific knowledge and its accessibility, and to strengthen the relationship between science and society.
The question immediately arises: where are the issues related to politics, security, and the belonging of particular territories? This means that the Institute goes beyond its statutory activities. And the form of ownership unlikely allows it to interfere in the affairs of foreign states.
Further, we learn that the structure itself functions at the expense of projects, donations, subsidies, contributions, as well as any other sources, which are not prohibited by the law of the Swiss Confederation.
Curiously, the founders of ICSS are two people: the president is Mercier-Peschoux Chantal, a citizen of France, the city and municipality of Lance, the O-de-France region; as well as the vice-president of the Institute – Irina Koval-Leskova, a Ukrainian citizen, a resident of Odessa.
Therefore, be patient, and you will see the same hybrid Russian trace after we tell you about each of them.
From Paris with Love … to Putin
We, perhaps, will not go by chronology, in order to make history more interesting. So, on March 21, 2016, under the patronage of Mercier-Peschoux Chantal (he did not participate), the conference with a rather catchy title “Ukraine: Maidan – Odessa, two years later” is held in the same Geneva.
As you already understood, the subject of the event is the events of May 2, 2014, which occurred in the Ukrainian seaside city, when Russian special services provoked mass riots in order to destabilize the situation, during which 46 people were killed.
During this conference, the participants blamed and blackened the Ukrainian authorities and shielded the Kremlin and urged international partners to put pressure on the official Kiev.
The conference itself was held at the Palais des Nations (UN building, Geneva). It is significant that the announcement of the event was posted on March 13 at one of the French sites (gray segment of the Internet) – “Arrêt sur info”. This site, created by a Frenchwoman with Italian roots, Silvia Cattori, is engaged in covering wars and various conflicts that the world media “do not speak” about. We suppose that we are talking about giving false and biased information.
The moderator of this event was the representative of the Agency for Human Rights (ADH) – Amir Forotan, and here it is necessary to explain: this agency is one of thousands of non-governmental organizations with which one of the six main organs of the UN, the Economic and Social Council, cooperates.
In 2015, the Agency for Human Rights received a special consultative status, which formally gives an opportunity to hold events in the premises belonging to the UN. Therefore, the conference was held at the Palais des Nations.
Such NGOs should annually publish a report on the work done, but for some reason this agency does not do this. You also will not find information about the founders of this structure on the site. However, it is displayed on the official website of the Trade of Switzerland.
It turns out that the only one founder, participant and head of this organization is the same Amir Forotan. Once he was known as a member of another organization that also “defended human rights” – Global Network for Rights and Development (GNDR).
It was registered in Stavanger (Norway), and had units in Jordan, Spain, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland (Geneva) – seven minutes from ADH office. The activities of this structure were accompanied by accusations of grave criminal offenses. In 2015, the Norwegian police detained its head, a Norwegian of Palestinian origin Loai Deeb on charges of money laundering and misappropriation of property. The Israeli media suspected GNDR members in illegal intelligence activity under the cover of human rights work. This structure went bankrupt in 2016.
Furthermore, Forotan personally supported and publicly defended the French “comedian” Dieudonne Mbala Mbala – in fact a recognized anti-Semite; leader of the Anti-Zionist Party of France. This is the same person who came up with the anti-Semitic gesture “knel” (from the French quenelle).
We bring to your attention the comment of the Swiss Inter-Communal Coordination Council against anti-Semitism and slander concerning one of the ADH events, where Amir Forotan organized an anti-Semitic speech of person close to Dieudonne.
In addition, the same Forotan is close to the French political association “Egalite et Reconsilliation” (“Equality and Reconciliation”). This organization agrees with the policies of Russia and other rogue states. For example, in 2009, during the arrival of Putin in France, the association organized a “welcome committee” to Vladimir Putin together with the Russian embassy and the French Russian community.
Its current leader, Alain Soral, was a member of the central committee of the party “National Front” (Marin Le Pen) until 2009. He is a supporter of anti-Semitism, against the US, for cooperation with Russia and for the territorial division of France.
Soral and Le Pen
But let’s go back to the conference and find out who was involved in this action?
The main speaker was Xavier Moreau. This man is a graduate of the Sorbonne, majoring in History of International Relations. Now, he is a French entrepreneur, but he has been living in Russia for 15 years. He is the author of the book “The New Great Russia and Ukraine. Why did France make a mistake”. You cannot read this work, because it is clear that there it is about Paris’s wrong policy with regard to Putin’s Russia, and that aggression and occupation should be understood and forgiven.
What was the task facing Mr. Moreau during the conference? Everything is very simple: he had to tell about the reasons for the “political evolution of Ukraine after the revolution, regime change, murder in Odessa; describe the root causes – international and national, that plunged the country into a fratricidal civil war”.
Certainly, there are immediately discernible stamps that are used daily by Russian propaganda against Ukraine – both in the Russian information space and in the media field of Western countries.
Speakers at this event were two Ukrainians, residents of Odessa: Victoria Machulko and Elena Radzikhovskaya.
Victoria Machulko was born in Odessa; graduated from the Odessa Music College, later – the Economics Department of the National Institute of Economics and Psychology of the Odessa Pedagogical University. She was the director of kindergartens, and then for no apparent reason headed the department of international economic relations in the regional state administration. At the moment, she is retired.
She created the social organization – “Mothers’ Council of 2nd May”. At the same time, the organization does not indicate that the tragedy occurred because of provocations by Russian special services, because of their incitement to the mass separatist movement in this region. You remember that Moscow wanted (and still wants to) pull Odessa and the region out of the body of Ukraine.
However, not only Victoria is interesting in this context, but also one of her two sons – Eugene Machulko (born December 25, 1975). He is a representative of the pro-Russian illegal armed formation “Orthodox Cossacks”, unit of Special Forces “Cossack”. On May 2, 2014, he participated in the attack on the pro-Ukrainian demonstration and in the subsequent armed confrontation with human casualties.
Victoria Machulko said that her son was arrested and taken into custody. However, according to the decision of Primorsky District Court (Odessa) No.522 / 7844/14-K of May 5, 2014, the court ruled to house arrest her son with a ban on leaving the apartment during a certain period of the day – from 9.00 to 13.00. In this case, the electronic control was not applied as a preliminary measure of restraint.
This decision was extended until August 31, 2014. However, then due to the expiry of the judicial decision (August 31, 2014), all the measures of restraint were lifted from Eugene Machulko. Where Machulko is now, we do not know and what he does. However, everyone can guess, we think.
The second participant of the conference is a resident of Odessa Elena Radzikhovskaya. She is an associate professor of historical sciences, a teacher at ONU named after Mechnikov. Radzikhovskaya is the mother of the deceased in the House of Trade Unions of Odessa, who supports the Russian aggression of Andrei Brazhevsky. The latter wanted the troops of the Russian Federation to enter Odessa. By the way, she also appeared in the European Parliament talking about “Odessa Nazis and Fascists”. And on June 28, 2016 Radzikhovskaya went to a separatist rally against the Constitution of Ukraine.
Now it is considered that she is involved in the formation of a terrorist group in 2001-2002, which took place in the so-called case of the Odessa Komsomol members.
We recall that at that time a gang led by the first secretary of the city committee of the Komsomol of Odessa, Andrei Yakovenko, committed a series of terrorist acts in Ukraine. She led anti-Ukrainian propaganda in military units, calling for the liquidation of Ukraine, the “revival” of Tavria and the Black Sea SSR on the lands of Ukraine, including it in the revived USSR that means into Russia.
Here’s initial project “Novorossia”. We recall only one thing: it was the first year of Putin’s rule as president, which means that the plans to seize our state began to be realized even then.
And this conference with such participants was organized by Mr. Mercier-Peschoux Chantal. So, let’s try to make out his biography.
Who are you, Mercier-Peschoux Chantal?
Mercier-Peschoux Chantal is a man who wrote a petition addressed to former French President Francois Hollande in 2013. In it, he called upon the former head of the Republic to stop the participation of the French forces in Syria. He pointed out: this is contrary to the national interests of France.
At the same time, we, of course, understand, from whose mouth these phrases usually sound – from the lips of the Russian leadership. After all, the Kremlin is trying to regain control of Syria, to leave in power their president Assad and receive from European partner’s money that will cover spending on intervention. Now, this is covered by the notion of “restoring the infrastructure of Syria”.
It is noteworthy that Mercier-Peschoux Chantal pointed out that the evidence regarding the chemical attacks of Assad submitted for international consideration is unreliable in this petition.
Meanwhile, there was another petition, though collective, sent in 2012 to the presidential administration of Hollande. There, the signatories also called on the former president of France to stop participation of the French in the Syrian campaign.
It is clear that one of those who signed the document was the same Mercier-Peschoux Chantal.
In the last paragraph he wrote: “I am a member of the party” Republican and Civil Movement “from 1993 to 2006; close to the position of Nicolas Dupont-Enjan (without membership); I’m not deaf to the position of Marin Le Pen (yes, I know that this is not good), and my ballot remains available, in some cases”. I resolutely oppose the diarchy of the Union for the People’s Movement (leader – Nicolas Sarkozy), but still the atlanticist to the core of the bones”.
We do not know how Mr. Mercier-Peschoux Chantal as an atlanticist, but those people, whom he supports, profess the right, often radical ideas.
Let’s start in order. The party “Republican and Civil Movement”. This political force adheres to vague left-wing views based on the ideology of social democracy, populism, euroskepticism, patriotism and anti-Americanism. Party requires a full-scale re-industrialization of France.
Moreover, this political force has opposed the war in the Persian Gulf and the provisions of the Treaty on the Establishment of the European Community since its beginning (the Maastricht Treaty).
The former leader of this party is Jean-Pierre Schevenman (now he has the status of honorary chairman). In the past, he is a socialist, since the 1980s, and he is called “the last Jacobin,” hinting at his commitment to the idea of a unitary republic.
Shevenman is a fairly influential and well-known politician. So, from 1984 to 1986 he headed the Ministry of National Education, then, from 1998 to 1991 – headed the country’s main defense department, and from 1997 to 2000, Shevenman was Minister of the Interior of France.
In 2002, he even ran for the presidency of the Republic, but gained an insignificant percentage of votes (5.33%), taking sixth place. At the same time, the already mentioned leader of the anti-Semitic association “Equality and Reconciliation”, former member of the “National Front” Marin le Pen-Alain Soral, acted in his support.
The last book of Shevenman – “1914-2014: Europe comes out of history” – is dedicated to the problems of the European Union. Its author initially refers with certain skepticism to the processes of integration of Europe, talking about the importance of the national state in the EU and believing that this is the key to the development of democracy.
According to information for 2017, Shevenman is a special representative of the French government on issues of relations with Russia. Moreover, on November 4 of the last year, he was awarded the “Order of Friendship”; while he received it personally from the hands of Vladimir Putin.
Then, in November 2017, he visited Moscow and conveyed to the Russian president the message of the leader of France – Emmanuel Macron. This message spoke about cooperation in the issue of resolving the Syrian conflict.
In an interview with Interfax (Russia) he indicated: “US sanctions imposed against the energy and military-industrial sector of the Russian Federation harm international relations.”
Of course, it should be noted that he also said that it is necessary to implement the Minsk Agreements (by two sides) and about the inadmissibility of creating conditions for the “freezing” of the conflict.
He also drew attention to the fact that Minsk-2 should ultimately lead to the definition of election parameters in the occupied territories of Donbass, the definition of the special status of these lands and the expansion of decentralization. However, it should be clarified that in the first place the politician has put the component related to security.
Among other things, Shevman’s thoughts on the status of extended autonomy in Ukraine are interesting in this interview. He says: “As for the status of extended autonomy in Ukraine, it should include the right of citizens of that country to choose the language of education for their children”.
Shevenman’s words, which he told during a meeting with the Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, also attract interest.
So that no one accuses us of juggling with facts, we will provide you a holistic statement: “I think that now it is necessary to focus on the problem of Ukraine. It is necessary that Ukraine becomes a bridge between Europe and Russia. I think that it is not a need to continue this stupid conflict. In Europe, however, most smart people do not want a return to the Cold War. So it seems to me that the problem today is from the Americans”.
We do not know that familiar Mercier-Peschoux Chantal and Shevenman each other, but it is obvious that the first especially mentioned the French special representative in Russia in the text of the petition. He wanted to focus attention on the fact that he adheres to identical views, when the main thing is the resumption of relations with Russia and the gradual surrender of Ukrainian positions.
But let’s return once again to this petition. Mercier-Peschoux Chantal says: “I’m not deaf to the position of Marin Le Pen (yes, I know that this is not good), and my ballot remains available, in some cases”.
We have to recall that Marin Le Pen – a former candidate for the presidency of France, which the financing of the election campaign dealt with Russian banks. She personally supported the so-called referendum in the Crimea, came to a personal audience with Putin before the elections. And now she is going to make a united front with other radical politicians and undermine the general European political institutions.
At once the question has appeared: whether it is possible to prove belonging of Mercier-Peschoux Chantal to Le Pen? The adherence to these or other, even selective, positions is not proof that these policies cooperate. This does not mean that Mercier-Peschoux Chantal works for the Russians, even if we take into account his connection along the line: Forotan – Soral – Le Pen.
But in his note to the notorious petition in the name of Hollande, Mercier-Peschoux Chantal points out that he “is close to the position of Nicolas Dupont-Enjan.”
On March 15, 2016, Dupont-Enjan announced his candidacy for the presidency in elections in the 2017.
In foreign policy, he proposed to withdraw unilaterally from the process of sanctions against Russia, to settle the situation in the Donbass by giving Ukraine the status of a neutral state and turning it into a region of Russian-European cooperation. He also called for the security of Eastern Europe through the conclusion of a comprehensive treaty between Europe and Russia on peace and cooperation, reaching agreements on resolving frozen conflicts in Cyprus, Kosovo, Transnistria and the Crimea.
How do you like this idea? Probably, it is not very good. It can be precisely said that similar theses are repeated on Russian channels from day to day.
And now let’s imagine the most interesting episode in this whole story. On April 28, 2017, Nicolas Dupont-Enjan announced the conclusion of a political agreement with Marin Le Pen, urging his supporters to vote for her in the second round of the elections. According to the reached agreements, in case of victory in the second round of the presidential elections, Le Pen would appoint DuPont-Enjan as the new Prime Minister of France.
On October 25, 2017, he and the leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Jean-Frédéric Poisson, initiated a new political project – “Fans of France, a country more important than parties” – whose goal is to form a right alternative to the policy of President Macron.
It seems to us that the puzzle has completed. Mercier-Peschoux Chantal, a man who clearly works against Ukraine, is trying to carry out another provocation in Bucharest, and he is connected in one way or another with right-wing radical forces from France, which are supported by the Kremlin.
There is a clear question: so under whose flag will the event take place in Romania – under the Swiss, under the French or under the Russian? But, before you answer it, we suggest finally learning about the vice-president of the Institute for Connecting Science and Society – a structure that organizes all this action. The vice-president of the Institute is Ukrainian citizen Irina Koval-Leskova.
Activist with Russian smell
Irina Koval-Leskova is an Odessa native who is the founder of the “Formula of Success” agency, which produces advertising, printed products and organizes various congresses and trade shows. She also has a shop “Marshrutkin house” (Kharkov).
At May 27, 2014, immediately after the events of May 2, she organized a conference with the loud title “Democracy and Violence: Ukraine” in Paris. There she criticized the Ukrainian authorities, spoke about the persecution, the illegality of the so-called Kiev regime and called on the international community to intervene in the investigation of events that happened on May 2, 2014.
She was helped by the socio-political association in support of the “Organization of European Unity” (ROUE).
This organization is also trying to find some common points of contact with Russia, including historical ones. They are even interested in de Gaulle’s relationship with the Soviet leadership and other interesting topics. At the same time, the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Paris supports them.
Such centers are the structures of the organization Rossotrudnichestvo – in fact, the structures of the cover for Russian special services. They are engaged in attracting foreigners to their activities and with their further help try to influence political life in a particular country.
And now, Irina Koval-Leskova, who has rather strange contacts, organizes an openly provocative, threatening Ukrainian territorial integrity event in Bucharest. She organizes it on behalf of the Swiss-registered structure, together with a French citizen, apparently connected with right-wing radical organizations, which have strong connections with Russia.
IR
