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, ...
Report No. 41/2019
This report is the result of a collaborative study performed by the RIAC and the Center for Strategic Research (SAM) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey. SAM publishes academic journal “Perceptions: Journal of International Affairs” (Turkey), an English language journal on foreign affairs. The materials included in this report were initially published in a special issue of
PERCEPTIONS
. The paper presents the views of Russian and Turkish experts in the...
... own security interests. Those who want Iran to toe the line need to reassure it and engage it in a dialogue. Conversely, Iran has to appreciate that the way it is spreading its influence, the way it is actually engaging non-state actors, and allies in Syria and elsewhere in Yemen is not helping. So, basically, neither side is doing it right. That is why we are in a mess. We need a good constructive dialogue between the big parties, the global and regional powers.
In your opinion, what are the most ...
What might be a “second option” for Russia in Syria?
The situation around Russia in Syria is up for debate. No doubt, Russia would like to lead a reconstruction effort in Syria, in harmony with all relevant partners, including the UN, the EU, the USA, China, India, Turkey, Iran, Israel, the Sunni ...
Today Syrian armed forces lack discipline, centralization, technical and organizational modernization, prestige, and authority and could hardly be called a real army
Army is considered to be one of the most important state institutions which in many ways ...
... Bermann, French Ambassador to Russia.
On November 8, 2018, Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, had a meeting with Sylvie Bermann, French Ambassador to Russia.
The following issues were touched upon in the course of the meeting: various aspects of Syrian Settlement, results of the quadripartite Russia-Turkey-France-Germany summit meeting in Istanbul, options for Syrian political transit, possible areas of cooperation between Russia and France in Syria and in the Middle East.
The meeting also focused ...
...
Mustafa Kibaroğlu and Aylin Gurzel, “US Nuclear Weapons in Turkey: Yankee Go Home?”,
Security Index: A Russian Journal on International Security
, Vol. 14, No 3.86 (2008), pp. 77-82.
18.
Rizwan Ladha, “A Regional Arms Race?: Testing the Nuclear ... ....org/2012/05/01/a-regional-arms-racetesting-the-nuclear-domino-theory-in-the-middle-east-by-rizwan-ladha-2
(last visited).
19.
April 2018).
20.
Asli S. Okyay, “Turkey’s Post-2011 Approach to its Syrian Border and its Implications for Domestic Politics”,
International Affairs
, Vol. 93, No 4 (2017), p. 835.
21.
Maria ...
... in the framework of the joint project between Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The seminar focused on the approaches of Moscow and Washington to the situation in Ukraine and Syria, and Euro-Atlantic security issues.
Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General; Ivan Timofeev, Director of Programs, Associate Professor at MGIMO-University; Andreiy Zagorski, Head of the Department of Disarmament and Conflict Resolution of the Centre for International Security at IMEMO RAS, Professor at MGIMO-University; Maxim Suchkov, Al-Monitor Editor in Chief; took part in the seminar.
RIAC and CSIS project is a bilateral Russian-American initiative aimed at developing expert dialog on topical issues ...
The opportunities for Turkey and Russia in Syria
Turkey and Russia have had intense negotiations about the fate of Idlib and the de-escalation zone. Turkish authorities visited Moscow numerous times as an assault on Idlib by the Syrian regime seems imminent. Both sides are interested in clearing ...
... their relations are at their worst.
Reliable communication channels between the military forces of Russia and NATO have also become more vital now that they are facing off against each other more frequently. The hot line between the US and Russia in Syria is a good example in this regard. The UK and Russia recently agreed to renew and improve their Incidents at Sea Agreement, and this might be used as a model for new ‘Incidents in the Air’ agreements to reduce the risks of dangerous manoeuvres ...
