The banquet and dancing offered by the Russian President in honor of the German Chancellor in the Kremlin’s Catherine Hall was about to start when Marlein Ditch got the shock of her life. Of course she highly appreciated the whole glamorous event in the Kremlin and she was well-aware that this gesture of the president to her was somewhat over prescriptions from protocol, but neither she, nor the Russian President would deny a certain warm sympathy in the way both were filling in the Russian-German relations, which taking history into consideration, was almost a paradigm shift.
Although the Chancellor of Germany was on a bilateral working visit to Moscow, the Russian President offered her a state banquet for which he invited G-20 ambassadors and the top representatives from the Russian society: political leaders of three parties, the business community, bankers, the academic world, religious leaders, and even some famous artists: musicians, dancers, film actors, and writers.
Actually, the Russian President invited the same group as he usually invited for the biggest party of the political calendar in Moscow: Kremlin’s New Year’s banquet in which some 1000 guests would socialize and network while enjoying exclusive food prepared by twenty top cooks from all over the world.
It was Marlein’s first visit to the antique and artful, decorated area of the Kremlin Palace, and as she heard rumored, the palace had recently been restored by the current Russian President to its 1906 decoration and design by the last Tsarina, Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicolas II, the last Tsar of Russia.
Although not showing, a rather impressed Marlein agreed that after the toast of the Russian President on her behalf. She would in a short speech explain to the guests the why of the voluntary federation and what would be the positive opportunities for the Russian society once the nine candidate countries would have made the leap forward in their political integration. Of course, Marlein was not planning to say more than trivial statements since the referendum was still pending, but saying no would have been impossible after the fruitful, German-Russian deliberations of the day for which both parties spent their precious time in a remarkable, open atmosphere.
* * *
Looking back, the one-day program was well-invested. After a working breakfast in the Germany Embassy in Moscow following her arrival at 8.45 in the morning at the airport, Marlein Ditch left the Embassy for a first meeting with the Russian Premier accompanied by the German Ambassador; advisor Hans Schmidt; and Peter Baum, a top, German diplomat specialized in Russian issues.
As usual, the first meeting started with looking into the future perspectives of Russian-German trade and investments, in particular gas and other raw materials before touching down on foreign relations and international politics.
Since about eighty-percent of the exports of Russia consisted of raw materials and half-fabrics, particularly petrol, gas, and globally scarce minerals, German interest was to balance the Russian raw materials exported to Germany with exports of luxury cars and other exclusive manufactures to the Russian market.
One should not forget either that the absolute number of billionaires and millionaires living in Moscow and St. Petersburg was one of the largest in the world. Marlein shrewdly informed the Russian Premier that the expectations for Germany were good in relation to investments and budget cuts already done, which together would continue triggering growth in Germany in the midst of the ongoing financial crisis in the West.
In fact, this information of Marlein was against the advice of Hans Schmidt who, during the preparatory breakfast, pointed out that, in the next-quarter, the economic growth rate of Germany could converge to the average low growth rate of Europe.
So all went well in the first meeting, but it is fair to say that for Marlein, the big thing was yet to come: deliberations with the Russian president, something she considered the summit of her working visit.
* * *
No wonder that punctual Marlein felt embarrassed when the delegation arrived almost an hour too late at the Kremlin, but the delay should be attributed utterly to the complete failure of the escorting police. These four, Russian policemen on heavy Chinese motorbikes were outright incapable of smoothly leading the delegation through the horrifying traffic jams near the Red Square. Clearly, no Russian car, bus, or motorbike driver was even slightly impressed by the four policemen in their somewhat over-decorated uniforms nor was any attention paid to their gesturing with arms and hands in order to make way for the two Mercedes Benz with diplomatic sign plates and country flags.
Most cars and busses did not only completely neglect the somewhat conflicting signals of the four policemen, but also aggressively continued looking for any small space in front to quickly move in, thus transforming a four-lane road in six to seven rows of cars, closing in on each other and constantly changing lanes. Thereafter it was simply impossible for anyone to move an inch forward.
“It is absurd, they should all be stripped of their driving license” was the repeated snappily remark of the German Chancellor to aid Hans Schmidt, while looking at her watch to find that they were already forty minutes or more too late on appointment.
Were it not for the Russian President—who broke the ice at their arrival with a lively narrated story of a police escort in Palestine—Marlein would have held consultations with the President tied up to the roof with nerves. The Russ told them that when he was visiting the Occupied Territories last year, the policeman escorting his car, had half—way run out of gasoline and his motorbike suddenly halted in the middle of the road, after which he was literally scooped by the car he was escorting. Luckily, the policemen survived with only some scratches while they all watched his motorbike falling from the cliffs.
So while the whole delegation was in laughter over the ridiculous accident, Chancellor Ditch restored herself and the session took off with some polite exchanges.
As soon as the routine was over, the Russian President cut short by expressing his real interest in the German-Russian consultations.
Surprisingly, this was not related to the Israel-Palestine issue, or with the recent developments in the Arab world, and not even with the financial crisis in the West or the Euro instability, but it dealt almost exclusively with Russian economic interests on the North Pole.
In brief: as the economy of Russia was still mainly driven by the export of raw materials and given the fact that climate change was progressively making possible the exploitation of huge deposits of raw materials in the North Pole, the Russian President was interested in knowing the view of Marlein Ditch concerning the ownership of these deposits.
According to him, Russia with its two-hundred-mile zone along the coast of the North Pole was without any dispute one of the main owners of these deposits, but much to his concern, the Russian President had noticed that countries with less linear coasts such as the US and Canada, seemed to believe that they were in their right to exploit the wealth of the entire Pole, irrespective of the length of their lineal coast on the Pole. Even more, Denmark, using theoretical rights on Greenland was queuing with the claimants. And then Britain and Iceland, having hardly a coast to the Pole, had also appointed themselves as candidates to accede the supposed rich stock of raw materials hidden under the ice cap. Having explained his concerns, the Russian President had put a direct question to the German Chancellor.
“Dear Marlein, soon the discussion over this issue will have to arrive at the UN since this would be the only way out of the conflicting interests. So could you, without going into detail, enlighten me at forehand on what position Germany will take? Would Germany support the Russian position? Would you abstain? Or would you support the doctrines that is basing ownership on the order of arrival of the exploiters to the territory and on their exploitation capabilities? Let us not forget that this doctrine had in the past resulted in many bloody wars in times of colonialism. Something no one should want to repeat.”
Marlein was taken by surprise. It was the last thing she would want to discuss during her visit: risking to disturb German-Russian relations on an issue with little direct German interest, but great German concern in terms of protecting the planet.
Putting all her charms in the bascule, she answered, “My dear friend, really you have caught me on an unprepared domain. So let me give you my personal view since this issue has yet to be discussed in my Council of Ministers and the German Parliament. And if the European Federation is alive and well, the issue of strategic raw materials will be high on the agenda of our international policies as will our concern with sustaining the environment of our planet. But for now, frankly speaking, I think that although in the current UN legality the Russians would have a majority ownership right, if we seriously consider the new environmental and social circumstances of the world today, we will be forced to globally reschedule ownership and exploitation of natural resources, irrespective of whether they are in the seas or on land. Not in the least because the exploitation of natural resources of the North Pole will become possible only if we continue with our suicidal global warming and hence the reduction of the iced surface of the Pole. By the time we have reached that state, I fear life on the planet may have changed so much that even exploitation of the deposits at the Pole could become irrelevant.
On the other hand, the parallelism observed in relation with the race for the wealth of the North Pole—consisting of rushing to take advantage over the others without any general agreement or concern on the issue—reminds me of the so-called “Scramble for Africa”, in which the Western countries—including Germany—distributed sub-Sahara Africa among themselves in an urgent, imprudent, and irrational way and without any knowledge or concern about the geography and sociology of its inhabitants. It was blatant colonizing euphoria and nothing less.”
“Come on Marlein, I do not think that the German concern over global warming will be sufficient to stop the ambitions of the interested countries to start exploitation. On the other hand, I have no doubt that the global warming problem will be rebalanced very soon by using technologies now already well under research in Russia. Do not forget that the quality in research comes from the quantity and the absolute number of Russian academic graduates is currently higher than in any other European country.”
“If you don’t mind, Mr. President, I could introduce a different argument, the social one. Taking into consideration the fact that the global population has multiplied almost per three in the last sixty-five years, and will continue to grow, production and prices of strategic raw materials cannot be dependent on the will of a single country, or a group of them forming a cartel, let alone from multinationals and speculators.
This is an issue so serious—provoking numerous economic disturbances in the last forty years—that the production and distribution of strategic raw materials will have to be controlled by the United Nations.”
“Marlein, should I expect Germany to say so because you are destined to stay out of the Security Council club of permanent members? Anyway, I would be able to agree with you, but only on one condition: real power sharing in the United Nations. Do you really believe that production of the Russian oil reserves should depend on a UN dominated by the West and western interests? Russia could only agree with you, with Germany, on the condition that this UN would be democratic. And you, Marlein, know what this implies: that the West, currently with only sixteen percent of the global population, would lose control of the UN. Do you think that the West would give up its current, oversized, international power and the profits stemming from it in exchange for nothing?”
“Of course,” answered Marlein, “I am not talking in terms of the next five to ten years, but current economic trends suggest that in around twenty to twenty-five years, the economic and military dominance of the West could be over without being replaced by another dominating region or nation. As you and me will both be on retreat by then, I can only dream of how things may evolve. But my dear friend, as usual it has been a great pleasure for me talking with you.”
And so the bilateral consultations between the two countries were over faster and in greater harmony than expected, and Marlein and her team could sigh released and prepare for a joyful evening in the Catherine Hall of the Kremlin; but it was there that Marlein got the shock of her life.
* * *
As Hans Schmidt, aid for European affairs, explained to the Chancellor on their way to the party, the Banquet Hall had undergone a huge facelift ordered by the current, Russian President, who probably wanted to bring back the glamour and chic of the pre-Soviet days.
Even more, his example had been followed by the Russian society.
Not only the hall with its eighteenth century ceiling paintings and decorated arches; its high roof windows, some with glass in lead and others with heavy brocade curtains; and chairs and sofas in Louis XIV-style, had been recovered and upgraded with a winkle to the days of Nicolas II, but also the dresses of the women, accompanying their husbands this evening in black tie, portrayed that the Russian ladies had seized the opportunity to glitter in Tsarina-style. Consequently, on the evening offered to her as chief guest of honor, Marlein Ditch was sadly condemned to look more plain Jane than ever, although for the first time she had dressed in pink Thai silk with a for her style very remarkable low décolleté and a fancy collier with some small stones.
During the reception in anticipation of the diner, some guests were personally introduced to the German Chancellor by the seemingly rather popular Russian President and Marlein managed to use some socializing words in Russian she still remembered from her days in school in Weimar. Meanwhile the Russian Symphony Orchestra was sweetening the memories of the guests by playing romantic, Russian composers including Modest and Tchaikovsky and the colorful guests, greatly wrapped in rustling chiffon, were sipping on glasses with cocktails based on vodka, while mingling around.
So, love was in the air when the President announced, with a jolly smile all over his face, that he was going to introduce Marlein to someone very dear to him. This person was the most successful Russian businessmen of the post-Jeltsin period, and besides his ancestors originated from Germany.
And there he was! Friedrich Greber, Marlein’s former husband from Dresden, was standing eye in eye with the German Chancellor. For at least ten seconds, Marlein froze and had to make strong efforts to recover breathing. Friedrich, looking rather well cared with a body shaped by sport and elegantly dressed, introduced himself to her as Friedrich Pechov and his Russian wife, a stylish blond on extremely high heels, as Anastasia.
“How very nice,” Marlein said quietly while slowly coming forward. Friedrich took her hand, raised it to his lips and bowed, before humbly waving away the compliments of the Russian President over his success in business and his outstanding support for cultural events in Moscow.
“My support is not more than my duty as a citizen,” Friedrich said,
“but meeting the Chancellor in person tonight is for me a real honor.” And smiling at Marlein he continued, “Madam, I am overcome by your performance in meetings and press briefings. You really are the most convincing and the most involved of all political leaders of the European Union.” “You are flattering me, Mr. Pechov.
But really, I would swear we have met before,” a fully recovered Marlein asked sharply as she gave Friedrich an understanding smile.
Friedrich, looking around first at the Russian President and perhaps also at his wife Anastasia was careful in responding, “Yes, come to think of it, must have been some thirty years ago in Minsk. You, Madam Chancellor, if I remember well, were participating in a youth championship of athletes and I was a young freelance trainer who had been contracted contemporary by the team from the German Democratic Republic, as one of the official coaches fell ill.” Friedrich was now looking mainly at his wife and the Russian president while he was trying to hide the former intimate relation with Marlein. Crossing eyes with Marlein, he continued, “What days they were. No one could dream in those days in the stadium of Minsk that Germany would years later be united, or that the small Osi girl fighting for the trophy would finally become the Bundeskanzler for East and West.”
Marlein replied sarcastic as it was clear to her that Friedrich did not want to recount their past. “Equally, who would have thought in Minsk that the young trainer for some days would become a millionaire in oil? I am very impressed.”
And then smiling mean, she decided to give him a low blow. “Dear Mr. Pechov, excuse me my blunt question, but have you also been capable of profiting from the fast privatization in Russia during the transition under President Jeltsin?”
It sounded false even in Marlein’s own ears and she started looking at the hands of Friedrich and his Russian wife to detect, as unnoticeably as possible, if the couple was wearing marriage rings. Of course they did! The word bigamy crossed her mind as she was looking straight into the eyes of the now rather uncomfortable Friedrich. They had never filed for divorce and they both were aware of that at the very moment of Marlein’s mean remark.
“Madam Chancellor, as you may well know, the privatization or dismantling of state firms under president Jeltsin was for the full one-hundred percent policy devised by IMF and WorldBank, the so-called Washington-consensus. These policies, stemming from the so-called international society, were simply imposed on the Russian society. So tell me, Madam Bundeskanzler, who profited most, the Russians or the international speculators financing Russian intermediaries?”
Friedrich was losing control, something also noticed by the Russian President who hastily introduced a new guest to Marlein in order to stop further quarreling between the two.
* * *
As the table setting clearly dated from before their mutual, verbal aggressions, Friedrich had been honored with a seat at the main table and opposite Marlein, be it two places away to the left. But as the overwhelmingly French dishes on the menu were served—blinis au caviar beluga; fois gras, daube de bœuf a la Beaujolais, tarte au fromage et pommes en Calvados—they could easily avoid any eye-contact between them.
In her speech, made just before the last course was served, Marlein called upon Russia, its government and its active population to support the European Federation in the making as it would create greater opportunities for stabilizing Russian exports to Europe and perhaps one day the cooperation would result in a common market.
The Chancellor’s words were welcomed by the guests with an ovation and a second toast at which Friedrich reached out to touch her flute. A sign of settling for unconditioned peace, which he had decided to repeat by asking her to dance with him at the moment the third Viennese waltz of Joseph Lanner was played by the orchestra some time after the last course.
During dancing they did not speak, but as he appeared to be a well-experienced waltz dancer, she hung elegantly in his arms, and with her eyes fixed to a detail of a ceiling painting she gave herself fully to be led by him and becoming slightly lenient by the mixture of the musk scent of his aftershave and the cognac he was breathing out. For a fraction, it was like the first weeks of their life together in Dresden when she still fully trusted him.
So on the way back to her chair she became entirely willing to listen to his warm voice. He remarked, “Marlein, I think the best for us is to keep me dead. I am now Friedrich Pechov, a naturalized, Russian businessman, married, and with two, adolescent children. Any other format would have negative consequences for both of us.”
Marlein was flabbergasted by the cold way in which Friedrich broke the enchantment. He solely seemed to be interested in averting problems with his wife. And of course, she was also surprised by the fact that he seemed to know that she had announced him dead when she forced him to step out of the relation. As to the bigamy business, he was clearly not interested in that. So, she nodded without saying a word, thus giving him the conduct in the conversation.
“Besides Marlein, have I told you that you are looking gorgeous tonight and that you have become a great dancer? I have sincerely enjoyed our dancing.” And my dear Friedrich, have I told you that you have become an even greater liar? You must be on cloud nine with your new family wanting to keep the truth out? What about your women hunting addiction?”
“Marlein please, do not be mean for no reason. That is not you. I have become a cheerful, respected, sophisticated businessman and you have become the German Chancellor. What else would we want? Please let us burry the past tonight forever. Would you accept my invitation to be guest of my family in our residence just some meters away from the Red Square before you return to Berlin?”
“No Friedrich, not at all. Are we to sit with your wife and lie? As you have remarked just now, let us forever lay our joint past to rest. And let us both never more say to anyone that we knew each other in our past lives. It is probably for you no problem to live in bigamy, is it?”
“Do not use this ugly word, Marlein. After so many years, it would have no value in any judicial system. After killing me, would you now be resurrecting me? Starting clearance would have more negative consequences for you than for me. I take the deal. I will, from now on, say that we met for the first time in the Kremlin because you should not think that you will never meet me again. I will be in Berlin next week to meet your minister of energy. So a decent solution would be: It has been a pleasure to meet you, Madam Chancellor and my heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to dance with you.”
As they were now in hearing distance of the guests still sitting at the tables, Marlein softly and restricted murmured, “It is a deal, Friedrich; from Russia with love.”