... general dynamics of development in the Middle East, most significant challenges and threats emanating from the region, possible mechanisms and sequencing of solutions to Middle East issues.
The discussion focuses on acute crises in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and potential instability in other countries of the region. Aleksandr Aksenyonok, RIAC Vice-President, and Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, represent Russian side at the meeting.
... table with the participation of experts, representatives of the academic community, and non-governmental organizations from Russia, Italy, Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom. The round table discussed the issues of modern security architecture ... ... scenarios were presented and analyzed at the round table in order to develop recommendations for crisis management in Syria, Libya, and Yemen involving all concerned parties for constructive interaction.
... Haftar, who holds de facto control over many of Libya’s oil-producing eastern regions and supports an expansion of Libya’s oil production. Even though Russia’s crackdown on Libyan oil production places Moscow at odds with its allies in eastern Libya, Russia’s stringent enforcement of OPEC quotas benefits its strategic interests in three critical ways. First, Russia has used its stance on oil production to position itself within the growing dispute between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait over the application ...
... multilateral alliance network against ISIS in Libya that bolsters its status as an alternative counter-terrorism leader to the United States. It can also create a durable economic partnership with Tripoli that will bolster Russian leverage in the Middle East. Russia-Libya Cooperation and Counter-Terrorism While Russia and the West have been united around the desire to combat Islamic extremism in recent years, Russia’s recognition of Libya as a potential locus for terrorism significantly predated Western assessments....
...
Libyans agreed on the division of powers
and establishment of a national unity government.
This is another proof of the Algerian resolve. So, if the Islamic radicals advance, the uncompromising Algerian government may as well become more active in Libya.
Russia and Algeria Handling the Libya Crisis
REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail
Maxim Suchkov:
The Middle East between the U.S. and Russia:
Potential Traps for Moscow
Moscow and Algiers are stepping up intelligence sharing on Libya, and the subject is known to ...
... the UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
The failed transition in Libya was an important learning experience for Moscow. It consolidated the conservative faction in the Russian political establishment and nearly silenced the liberal opposition. After Libya Russian officials coined their new approach to the Middle East, that can be summarized the following way:
First. Authoritarian states in the Middle East are in any case better than failed states that come to replace the former after public uprisings (which ...
... endorsed and armed by western powers – including the United States – before they were vilified and deposed. If western condemnation of murderous dictators has one rationalization, it is "better late than never."
Time has proved Russia right to counsel caution in dealing with Iraq and Libya. Certainly Saddam and Gaddafi were monsters. Certainly the people of Iraq and Libya deserved civil liberties and representative government. Certainly the United States and its western allies hoped that by toppling Saddam and Gaddafi they would bring ...
... in Russia and view Russia in favorable terms. Ostensibly, that force could play a decisive role in stabilizing the situation across the nation.
Even though Russia, like many other global players, is unable to obtain accurate information directly from Libyan provinces, Russian analysts have reasons to believe that the Tripoli government, reliant on disparate armed groups, not only has no control over a large section of the territory held thereby, but is also losing support in Tripoli. Among other things, this is evidenced ...
... described the move as a “sovereign decision.”
Niger shares common borders with Algeria and Mali. It sits just below Libya and to the east of Mali.
Algeria has been experiencing problems in the refugee camps controlled by the Polisario Front ... ... investment in sophisticated techniques are required to process it into liquid natural gas, which can be offered by Algeria, Russia, France and the United States, among others.
Will Russia play an expanded role in across the Maghreb and in the Sahel ...
... body able to authorize it. The military intervention in Syria is lacking such backing. Nevertheless, it was intervention in Libya that significantly worsened disagreements over practical implementation of the norm.
Some of the main dilemmas include: ... ... stability? Can regime change be justified?
So, the U.S., U.K. and France want to pursue the regime change, while China and Russia object to the use of R2P to justify regime change. Separating regime change from R2P is extremely important for moving ...