... 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.
... 22–24.
The program of MED conference in Rome will be strengthened by the results of preliminary discussions at RIAC closed round 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 in the region of the Middle East and North Africa.
Regional 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.
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 ... ... means higher costs for Syria’s reconstruction as Turkey has a strategic geographic position and is the biggest economy in the Middle East. Turkey is Syria’s
largest economic partner
of Syria, more so than China. China and Turkey account for half of ...
How can Moscow respond to a possible US strike on Syria?
The aggravation of rivalry between Russia and the West in the past few months is raising the urgent question of a possible further escalation of tensions and its forms and consequences. Political relations between Moscow and Western capitals have gone beyond the critical point. The threadbare ...
... Russia-France cooperation in the Middle East.
Andrey Kortunov
, RIAC Director General, and former French ambassador to Syria (2006–2009), Michel Duclos, advising Institut Montaigne, made opening speeches.
The following issues were discussed: resolution of Syrian crisis and the situation in then Middle East. The sides touched upon the positions of Russia and France in post-conflict reconstruction, regional security system, and prospects for the development of the situation.
Aleksanrd Kramarenko
, RIAC Director of Development,
Timur Makhmutov
, RIAC Deputy Program Director,
Ruslan Mamedov
, RIAC ...
... Armed Groups in the Syria/Iraq Conflict Zone
Russia intervened in Syria in 2015 at the request of Syrian President al-Assad. Russia has no particular affinity for al-Assad; rather it sees him as the only alternative to an Islamic fundamentalist state. Russia’s main objective is that the Middle East remains stable while Syria was heading towards anything but stability. There are two reasons why Russia entered the Syrian fray.
First, while the Caucasus region is not entirely in Russia proper, it is on its border and presents a “zone of vulnerability.” Given the recent ...
... expert, and Vasily Kuznetsov, Director of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies, RIAC expert, represented Russia at the meeting. Iranian side was represented by the following speakers: Mahmud Shuri, Fellow for Russian Studies, IRAS, and Hassan Ahmadian, Research Fellow, IRAS.
Experts name the Syrian crisis and its resolution among the key factors for the future setting of the entire Middle East. The parties noted that the existence of ISIS had been uniting players with very different interests for the sake of one goal.
The victory over ISIS deprived the regional and global actors of the "ideal enemy", and their goals began ...
... should be viewed as a rhetorical game. At the same time, there is a possibility of an increase of the share of mutual payments in the national currency between Iran and Russia;
Regardless of the escalated contradictions between Russia and Iran on the Syrian issue, the parties see each other as indispensable partners at this stage and will continue cooperation;
Iran will try to convince Russia of the non-constructiveness of the U.S. approach to solving the issues in the Middle East and the impossibility of a meaningful dialogue with them;
In the short term, Russia and Iran will not be able to significantly increase the economic basis for cooperation;
Major projects with the participation of the state will remain the ...
... who support a hard position against Russia in the contest of the Ukraine crisis. The Syrian post-war settlement and the country’s reconstruction are an opportunity to build trust between Russia and Germany, if the latter would choose to be involved. Russia and Germany have common interests in the Middle East. Both states would like to see a stabilisation of Syria and its economic recovery. Attacks by Islamic radicals have hit both Germany and Russia in the recent past and continue to be a threat for both states today. Greater security and improving standards of living in Syria would work to decrease radicalisation ...
... of the King of Saudi Arabia to Moscow, several events were held to focus on the current state of relations and prospects for development of relations between Moscow and Riyadh.
The first half of the day was marked by the closed seminar organized by Russian International Affairs Council and King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (Saudi Arabia). The event focused on security challenges in the Gulf and the prospects for political resolution of the situation in Yemen. The opening remarks ...
