... leaders, whose ambitions are, at this historical juncture, under powerful pressure from both within and without; this test may be even more relevant there than in other parts of the crumbling, yet interconnected world.
“Old” internal conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen, new-type protest movements demanding a change of the ruling elites (the “everyone means everyone” slogan) in Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq, balancing on the brink of an armed conflict in the Persian Gulf – this chronic instability ...
... strategic stability; it will be the only one.
Reliable round-the-clock communications between the military and security headquarters of the major powers and hotlines between their leaders would help deal with incidents: U.S.-Russian deconfliction in Syria has demonstrated the effectiveness of maintaining contacts. Yet deconfliction has to be balanced against the profound lack of mutual trust between the political and military leaderships of the great powers. Having fewer windows on the opponent—and ...
... The stand-alone evolution of US relations with the Kurds in Iraq (in contrast to the Kurds in general) is also evident through the different US foreign policy approaches developed towards Kurdish entities.
In contrast, the US relations with the Kurds of Syria and Turkey are both still to be found at an early stage. Limited interactions to have taken place are those through events such as the Syrian crisis (March 2011) or earlier the capture of Abdullah Ӧcalan in February 1999, which was facilitated ...
... alarming global events, like the coronavirus pandemic, the oil price crash and the slowdown of world economic growth have eclipsed the armed conflicts in the Middle East, which drop off and flare up from time to time. The temporary disappearance of Syria from front page news and new Russia-Turkey agreements on a ceasefire in Idlib are far from comforting. This is merely a tactical pause that should give serious food for thought on Syria’s future in the increasingly unpredictable and rapidly changing ...
... sanctions. The alternative is smuggling and semi-legal schemes, which increase costs several times over, and are fraught with the danger of criminal prosecution.
Other countries face a similar situation. The first COVID-19 cases have been registered in Syria, a country that is in a state of war. The strict oil embargo has resulted in a shortage of petrol, which is needed by both the military and medics. Cuba has faced fuel shortages as a result of a U.S.-led embargo for years now. Venezuela and a number ...
The decision to recognize Abkhazia underlines growing competition between the West and Russia
Abkhazia is a partially recognized state — Russia (2008), Nicaragua (2008), Venezuela (2009), Nauru (2009), Syria (2018) — of 8,660km2 and 240,000 inhabitants located on the shores of the Black Sea. During the Soviet times, the region was one of the most prosperous area in the USSR due to its geographic position in addition to a recognized wine industry, ...
Tayyip Erdogan has made up his mind to lock horns with Russia in Syria
The killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in air raids in Syria's Idlib province is likely to prove a major blow for President Tayyip Erdogan, who has made up his mind to lock horns with Russia in Syria. Turkey has been pushed towards a frontline war ...
The event was the occasion for an extensive discussion on the evolution of the role of the United Nations in conflict resolution, from its origins until the current crisis of confidence it experiences
On February 21, the Russian Council of International Affairs had the pleasure to welcome Robert H. Serry for a lecture on the UN and international conflicts resolution.
The event was attended by several experts and students who got the opportunity to hear about the former experiences of the Dutch...
On February 19, 2020 the press-conference: “Reconstruction of Syria: Visions from Russia and the EU” will be held at the International Multimedia Press Center MIA "Rossiya Segodnya" (Russia Today). Post-conflict reconstruction of Syria is a vital component of the plans to turn this country into a stable,...
On February 15, 2020, Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, spoke at MSC on security issues at "Stabilizing Syria" session
On February 15, 2020, Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, spoke at MSC on security issues at "Stabilizing Syria" session.
Other panelists included Sedat Onal, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister, and James Jeffrey, the ...
