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  • Russian Diplomacy'S Role In Resolution Of Middle East, Other Conflic

    RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY'S ROLE IN RESOLUTION OF MIDDLE EAST, OTHER CONFLICTS EXAMINED

    Nezavisimaya Gazeta website
    May 25 2011
    Russia

    [translated from Russian]

    "The Far From Straightforward Mission of Diplomacy. Russia Has Its
    Own Niche in the Task of Resolving International Conflicts"

    The series of meetings held in Moscow in recent days with delegations
    from the Near East [Middle East] reflect Russia's continuing influence
    in the region and its role in efforts to resolve its problems. The
    parties to the conflicts, be it the Libyan internal conflict or
    the Near East conflict, in which a broad circle of countries and
    political movements are involved, recognize this role and attempt to
    bring their position to Moscow's cognizance, and to secure its support.

    Russia's influence is connected above all with its status as a
    permanent member of the UN Security Council, and its established
    connections with the countries of the region. It should be noted
    that the possible truncation of these ties, or the limitation of the
    spectrum of contacts with the political forces of the region, would
    inevitably lead to a reduction in Moscow's ability to influence the
    resolution of its problems. In connection with this, it is impossible
    not to note that maintaining contacts (even sporadic ones) with Hamas,
    as one of the influential Palestinian organizations, looks entirely
    justified - after all, much depends on the line taken by this movement.

    Persistence and initiative are needed, though even they, it must be
    admitted, do not always produced the required result. After all, the
    Near East problem has remained unresolved for several decades already.

    It is hard to expect that it will be Moscow that will be able to
    get things moving towards resolution in a radical way. However, we
    are simply obliged to take part in it, including as a member of the
    Quartet of Near East mediators.

    Paradoxically, conflicts in the resolution of which Moscow, it might
    appear, can and even should play a decisive role also remain a tough
    nut to crack for Russian diplomacy. These are the conflicts in the
    post-Soviet area in which Russia, it can be said, holds all the trump
    cards: It maintains close connections, both political and economic,
    with all the conflicting sides, and knows the full history of the
    question. There is not even the language barrier that sometimes
    prevents mutual understanding - local elites, as a rule, have an
    excellent command of the Russian language, and many of the leaders
    of these countries in the past graduated from the best Russian higher
    educational establishments - for example, Azerbaijani President Ilham
    Aliyev is a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International
    Relations.

    This applies above all to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
    over Nagornyy Karabakh and the Dniester Region problem. But not just
    those conflicts. A whole friction knot has arisen between the countries
    of Central Asia: over issues pertaining to territorial delimitation;
    over the problem of water use; and in connection with incidents of
    interethnic dissension and with the need to protect the safety and
    interests of the citizens of one country who live on the territory
    of another country; and so forth.

    The world has accumulated a large experience of the resolution of such
    conflicts, and fine-tuned methods exist that in many cases produce
    a result. There are ways of persuading sides of the need for mutual
    concessions and reasonable compromise, and, moreover, in a form that
    allows the sides to maintain their dignity. There are effective ways
    of ensuring movement towards the necessary result. One of these is
    the elaboration and adoption of a "road map" for the solution of a
    problem. But, you will say, for which of the aforementioned problems
    does a "road map" exist that was proposed by Russian diplomacy or
    was elaborated with its participation?

    Meanwhile, some of the problems listed above have become overripe. The
    conflicts existing in the post-Soviet area must not be allowed to flare
    up again into open clashes. Or they have become chronic, like the Near
    East problem. To help resolve them is the duty of Russian diplomacy -
    its far from straightforward, but extremely important mission.

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