Of course, essentially, it is the relationship with Moscow that really interests The Times. Unless it gets pretty dramatic, Baltic domestic politics do not interest them so much. The situations with the Soviets and with the Russians living here are the things I have to keep most on the watch for. Beyond that, when I can, I try to get features in about aspects of local culture and society and, above all, the economy. Frankly, I regard it as a scandal that one should still think that it is still possible to cover the various republics from Moscow.
All experience points the other way.
You can actually see what is happening for yourself in each particular case. Also, you can get to know the story in detail, which is simply not possible for a Moscow correspondent who just flies in for a few days. By being here, one is simply on the spot if something happens. Although there are many complaints about it, it is not true that the correspondents are influenced by Soviet propaganda. That certainly used to be true and, to a limited extent, perhaps still is true in the case of Lithuania.