... the profound systemic crisis is yet to be found. Most countries (Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) have launched the needed socioeconomic reforms, albeit belatedly, but outcomes are difficult to predict. In other parts of the Arab world (Syria, Libya, Yemen), civil war has been the means of resolving questions of power. In these countries there is an inextricable tangle of ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ governments, numerous militias, terrorist groups, and foreign military contingents,...
... EU, Tehran’s claims remain natural
The seizure of an Iranian tanker by the authorities of Gibraltar has aggravated Iranian-British relations and could lead to further escalation. The oil transported by the Iranians was supposedly intended for the Syrian government. Tehran has already threatened to respond by detaining British ships. Meanwhile, the authorities of Gibraltar have extended the detention of the tanker for two weeks, increasing the chances that the crisis will develop further.
Ivan ...
On June 20, 2019, in Moscow, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and ICRC Regional Delegation in the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Moldova held a consultation on regional problems and humanitarian challenges in cross-border regions of Syria.
On June 20, 2019, in Moscow, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and ICRC Regional Delegation in the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Moldova held a consultation on regional problems and humanitarian challenges in cross-border regions ...
Russia should not necessarily wait for the Europeans to join its rebuilding efforts
As the United States eyes
new sanctions
on Syria, Russia increasingly finds it needs to work out solutions that would nonetheless push forward the post-conflict reconstruction in the country the way Moscow envisions them.
Syria has been subject to legislatively mandated US penalties since the ...
Framing a quid pro quo in Syria
After more than eight years of conflict in Syria, it is now clear that there won’t be a near-term political transition away from Bashar al-Assad. This is a reality that Europeans, by and large, now accept. This does not mean, however, that Europeans ...
Report No. 48/2019
Report No. 48/2019
This report addresses the divergent and convergent positions of Russia and the EU regarding the reconstruction of Syria. The aim of the publication is to identify areas of common ground between the two sides in an effort to propose possible actions that could benefit Syria and its people.
Forward by Dr Andrey Kortunov and Dr Joost Hiltermann
The publication of these ...
... loss was not just eco-nomic, but has also implicated political sovereignty: any country which loses control over its sources of return loses political power and influence internally, regionally and internationally.
After Jordan closed its border with Syria, Jordan faced a real threat with the rising unemployment rate and international pressure on the government and the people to accept new terms and conditions to harbor refugees from Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and other countries. This huge demographic ...
RIAC Working Paper No. 51/2019
RIAC Working Paper No. 51/2019
The working paper considers Russia’s geostrategic interests in the Middle East and the concept of Russia’s
return to the world stage as a great power. The paper analyses Russia’s regional interests, including the
development of trade ties, attracting investment, gaining access to the arms market and influencing oil prices.
The working paper also evaluates the increased collaboration with the local actors accompanied by Russia’s
active...
... Belgium and, for the time being, the United Kingdom) are currently on the UN Security Council, Europe’s stance on nuclear matters is barely audible.
As far as we can tell, the tentative steps taken by Paris and Berlin to open a dialogue with Moscow on Syria have not led to any practical actions. Also, it would seem that the “selective engagement” between Europe and Russia on Libya is equally doomed.
The European Union and Russia have still not got around to coordinating their positions with regard ...
Iran in the Middle East: Regional Spoiler or Stakeholder?
Iran’s critical role in shaping the security agenda of the Middle East is indisputable. No matter what we discuss — the Syrian settlement, state-building in Iraq, civil war in Yemen or political dynamics in Lebanon —, Iran remains the big elephant in the room. Its impact on the region is profound, multifaceted and controversial. The predominant view in the West in general ...
