Russia´s Top Diplomats signal increased assertiveness regarding Syria, Africa and NATO.
Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) – Russia´s permanent representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, commented on reports to the Doha Coalition, stating that any unilateral action by the Syrian opposition will harm the political process. “Russia is willing to hold talks with the Syrian opposition in order to encourage dialogue, but Moscow will block any effort by the opposition to send delegates to the UN”.
Churkin´s statement was made after it had transpired, that the foreign- Doha-backed Syrian opposition plans to open offices in the proximity to the UN Headquarter to gain more political influence. Vitaly Churkin´s statements were made in the context of an apparent, newfound Russian assertiveness.
The Russian Interfax news agency today quoted the Russian ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, who said,
“Someone here in Brussels made a most profound point by saying that if you are holding a hammer, you should not think that every emerging problem is a nail. We think the world has ample opportunity to engage in energy cooperation and to ensure energy security without making use of military-political organizations as an instrument”.
The statements of Vitaly Churkin and Alexander Grushko could indicate that Russia has begun to address the core issues to the Syria crisis more overtly, more directly, and with more assertiveness.
NATO´s abuse of the United Nations Security Council and other UN Institutions in an aggressive, expansionist pivot in Africa and the Middle East, NATO´s aggressive deployment of missiles, NATO´s refusal to address Russian concerns about, that the expansion of NATO´s missile “shield” from Europe to Asia is threatening Russian security, and NATO´s aggressive deployment of troops for securing prime access to oil and gas resources, while waging proxy- low intensity wars against Russian, Iranian, Pakistani and others targeted nations energy security seem to have caused the Russian administration of President Vladimir Putin to realize that more assertiveness is required.
Analysts, including the scribe, have previously warned, that a resolution of the Syria crisis would not be possible without addressing some of the core issues which have led Qatar and the USA to manufacture the “Arab Spring” in Syria since 2007, that is, the fact that a completion of the PARS gas pipeline project from Iran, via Iraq and Syria to the Mediterranean would have a significant impact on a cohort of sensitive issues, the primary ones being;
The PARS field is the worlds largest known gas reserve and shared between Qatar and Iran; A completion of the pipeline, which is completed to the outskirts of Damascus, would boost the total amount of gas delivered to the EU over the coming 100 – 120 years to 40 % – 50 %; this would give Iran considerable leverage over EU policies regarding issues such as Palestine;
Loss of US dominance over the primary energy source for the coming 100 years would severely weaken the US-Dollar, a problem that would be aggravated by the further integration of the EU-Russian economies and energy sectors.
The desperation of Qatar and the USA are, among other demonstrated by the fact that Qatar, in 2007, has send 10 billion USD to the Freedom and Justice Party of Turkish P.M. R. Tayyip Erdogan. The money was earmarked for preparing the subversion of Syria. 10 billion USD is what the construction of the entire Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline costs. One could say that the signal Qatar sent in 2007 was that the pipeline must be stopped at any cost.
It may be, that the newfound Russian assertiveness was caused by the lack an agreement about the EU´s Third Energy Packet and the EU´s attempt to change already signed Russian-EU energy contracts. The statement of Russia´s Ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, indicated that this could be the case. Grushko said, that Russia´s energy policy aims at strengthening energy security through cooperation and on the basis of jointly developed principles.
Regarding the deployment of NATO´s Patriot Missile Systems along the 900 km long Turkish – Syrian border, Alexander Grushko said, that the deployment contradicts the logic of seeking solutions to the crisis in Syria.
Statements by Russia´s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also signaling, that Russia is beginning to develop a more assertive role with regard to Africa. Communiqués are stating, that the people of the Middle East and North Africa can and should decide their own destiny independently, without foreign intervention, and address their internal issues according to law and through encompassing national dialogue, which fully and partially apples to Syria.
In a statement from Saturday, 9 February 2013, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated, that Russia´s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be visiting Algeria on 11 February to hold talks with the Algerian government about the regional situation.
In an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax on Thursday, Sergei Lavrov said, that Russia opposes the practice of legalizing the replacement of governments in various countries by foreign intervention, stating that “Contradictory processes that are unfolding in the world mean that resolute action is needed on our part”.
Lavrov continued the interview by stating, “We will continue to oppose attempts to legitimize change of regimes under the flag of a `responsibility to protect´ and we will continue to advocate solutions to problems by politico-diplomatic methods, with respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equality of all nations”.
Related articles:
Russia – E.U. Meeting in Bruxelles: Risk of Middle East and European War increased.
Hollande´s Mali Visit: “Liberating” Mali by Occupying the Truth ?
The US/UN/NATO Race for Global Full Spectrum Dominance. (1/4)
nsnbc 