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Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, died in Moscow on Tuesday at the age of 91, and a large photo of him appeared on the front pages of several French newspapers today, “Goodbye Gorby”, “Liberation” and the French Communist Party “Humanitate” ” invariably assigned the same title to bid farewell to this man who was welcomed by the West for ending the Cold War and overthrowing the Iron Curtain, using the nickname given to him by the West. The corresponding title on the front page of Le Figaro was, “Ge Erbachev, the architect of the decline of the Soviet Empire”.
Each newspaper reviewed Gorbachev’s life, contributions, and controversies surrounding him with editorials and long-form reports. The Liberation Daily reported that Gorbachev tried to use his reforms to promote his paralyzed state. The country modernized but could only witness the disintegration and collapse of the Soviet communist system after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He is credited in the West for ending the Cold War and causing the collapse of the Soviet Union, even though it was not his intention. And in Russia he was hated for the same reason, the “Soviet gravedigger” accused of “selling out his country to America”
The Catholic “Cross” newspaper called him an unfinished reformer, reporting that Gorbachev was not liked by the Russians, who regarded him as a mess-maker, while he was the eternal “Gorby” of the West. , a man who made detente possible, a pacifist reformer, a perpetual optimist, who believed he had enough power to transform the Soviet Union without breaking it. This led to his downfall in late 1991, and he has never fully recovered from the defeat since. But it doesn’t matter. Reports believe he is still the one who chose the latter when faced with a choice between repression and freedom. And this makes him one of the people in history who have influenced the fate of all mankind.
The newspaper commented that Gorbachev’s death coincided with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the difference between the reformer and Putin, who vowed to defend “great Russia.” In 1989, Gorbachev believed in the Soviet Communist system, but in order to prevent bloodshed in Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he preferred to let the regime evolve. And more than three decades later, Putin has not hesitated to wage a brutal war against Ukraine in the heart of Europe in the name of some Russian concept.
“Le Figaro” reported on the reaction of Russian officials and people after Gorbachev’s death. For this “father of reform and opening up”, people have almost no gratitude, but only blame, resentment and even hatred. This mentality became more apparent in public reactions and private conversations after his death at the age of 91. It wasn’t until midday on Wednesday that the Kremlin sent a telegram of condolences in the form of minimal tributes, which Putin described as a politician and statesman who had a huge impact on the course of world history. A very modest tribute to the last Soviet leader. He will be buried in the Russian capital’s cemetery, next to his beloved wife Raisa. The report said that when Russia buried Gorbachev, it also buried the unloved era of reform and opening up.
The editorial of “Le Figaro” titled “Gorbachev’s historical significance” said that Gorbachev had not commented on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine before his death, but the people around him confirmed that everyone can guess. What happened: This cannibalistic war meant to him a “tragedy” for his people, including himself. What could have been more than the war that highlighted the political failure of his once-proposed vision of a “common European home”?
Thirty years later, Putin has donned an anti-Gorbachev guise, and his Nobel Peace Prize attests to his active or passive treason, the editorial said. Putin prefers to be feared rather than ignored or humiliated, and he doesn’t want honor and respect for Gorbachev, who “prevented World War III”; he wants politics for those who decide. respect. Russians have not reduced their blame for his death, praised in the West as a peacemaker, and despised or reviled in Russia as a gravedigger of the empire. The editorial said that for more than two decades, Putin has been trying to correct this, even if it means going backwards in history. And this lesson also applies to Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping will not let China relax its tension with the West in the short term, and the confrontation between major powers is also a legacy left by Gorbachev.
“East Timor plays China card against Australia in huge gas deal”, according to a report today by the positive newspaper “Echo” involving China, and the foreign ministers’ meeting between Timor-Leste and Australia on Wednesday will discuss offshore gas and oil fields called “Big Sunrise” The development, which is 150km and 450km from the coastlines of East Timor and Australia respectively, has a total investment of more than US$50 billion. For East Timor, with a population of 1.3 million and almost no other source of income, the project is critical, including the Timorese government (57%), Osaka Gas (10%) and, most importantly, Australia’s leading gas and oil company, Woodside Energy companies (33%) have agreed that they will be refined in Darwin, Australia after offshore exploration. Now Timor-Leste hopes to renegotiate the relevant terms with Australia to process and refine oil and gas in its country to create jobs and drive the economy. Timor-Leste also said it threatened to turn to Beijing if Canberra did not accept its demands. East Timor President Horta made it clear in an interview with Australian media that it is in Canberra’s interest to maintain a “pro-Australian and pro-Western” East Timor neighbor, and if East Timor’s wishes are not met, he will not hesitate to turn to Chinese investors.