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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 ... ... room. Its impact on the region is profound, multifaceted and controversial. The predominant view in the West in general and in France in particular is that Iran is more part of the problem than it is part of the solution. Of course, Iran’s friends and ...
... great powers on the 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....
... “compartmentalization” — i.e. to separate areas of agreement from those of disagreement — has reached its limits for instance in Syria. The new volatile and confusing strategic context in which both Germany and Russia operate is wider, bigger and fraught ... ... at taking on more responsibility. How a responsible international Russia policy might look like is demonstrated right now by France’s president: a clear stance towards Russia in Syria and in questions of domestic meddling while at the same time continuing ...
... RIAC Director General Andrey Kortunov, IMEMO Director Academician Alexander Dynkin and Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine Fyodor Lukyanov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, visited the Embassy of France to meet with Head of Continental Europe Department at French Foreign Ministry Florence Mangin for the discussion of Ukraine settlement, implementation progress of Minsk accords, Syria and initial results of the Vienna process on Syria, Moldova, and opportunities for interaction between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Moderated by French Ambassador to Moscow Jean-Maurice Ripert, the event was also attended by Head of Department ...