End of day anti-Estonia protest outside Estonian Embassy

Описание: (4 May 2007)
1. Various, protesters folding up tents
2. Young protesters waving flags
3. Girls waving flags of "Young Guard" youth organisation, picture of "Bronze Soldier" in the background
4. Wide shot Embassy wall covered with posters, zoom in to Estonian national seal on the wall
5. Inflatable tank
6. Red tents in the street and protesters
7. Various, protesters warming hands at fire
8. Wide shot cars with protesters coming from the airport where they had "seen off" the Estonian Ambassador who had left Russia
9. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Vasili Yakimenko, leader of "Nashi" movement:
"The cowardly flight of the Estonian Ambassador is the victory for the "Nashi" movement, for the "Locals" movement, for " Young Russia", " Young Guard", " New People" movements. But it is not a complete victory and we should understand this. Today we lift the blockade of the Estonian Embassy. We won't stay here any longer, but it doesn't mean that actions will stop."
10. Mid shot of picture of the "Bronze Soldier", camera tilt down to two men and candles on the ground
11. Mid shot carnations and candles
12. Close up EU flag on the ground, with white swastikas instead of white stars, deliberately trumpeted by feet
13. Wide shot group of protesters holding flags and flying paper planes in the direction of the Embassy building
14. Protesters outside embassy
STORYLINE:
A pro-Kremlin youth group said on Thursday it would end a blockade of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow, where activists have been protesting for days over the relocation of a statue of a Soviet soldier in the Estonian capital.
The leader of Nashi (Ours), Vasily Yakemenko, said his group and others would end their demonstration outside the Estonian embassy
because the Estonian ambassador, Marina Kaljurand, had left Russia.
"The Estonian ambassador's cowardly flight is a victory for Nashi" and the other youth groups that protested, Yakemenko told activists outside the embassy. "But it is not a complete victory."
"Today we lift the blockade of the Estonian Embassy", he went on; "We won't stay here any longer, but it doesn't mean that actions will stop."
The move could ease tensions building between Moscow and the West over the protests, which have been the most visible Russian response to Estonia's action and have drawn sharp criticism from the European Union and NATO.
But Russia's dispute with Estonia over the relocation of the Bronze Soldier memorial is likely to persist, particularly with Russian celebrations of the anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany approaching next week.
Russians regard the Bronze Soldier monument statue in Tallinn as a tribute to the millions of Soviet soldiers who died fighting the Nazis and, in Russia's view, liberating nations such as Estonia .
But for many Estonians it is a bitter reminder of five decades of often oppressive postwar Soviet rule.
The statue's removal from a Tallinn square to a military cemetery triggered violent protests last week from Estonia's ethnic Russian minority and prompted Nashi and other youth groups loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin a round-the-clock demonstration at the Estonian Embassy in Moscow.
Estonian-Russian relations plunged to a new low, with Russian officials describing the moving the statue as 'blasphemy'.
The persistent protest has disrupted the embassy's operation and prompted Estonia to send spouses and children of diplomats home.
Estonian and European Union officials have criticised the protests and demanded Russia ensure the safety of diplomats and the unfettered operation of the embassy.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...