Tweet
ELECTIONS UNLIKELY TO CHANGE MOSCOW'S FOREIGN POLICY
news.az
Aug 17, 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Margot Light, professor emeritus at the Department
of International Relations at the London School of Economics What do
you think about Russia's policy towards its neighbours, especially
the Western-oriented countries? Has Russia got rid of its imperial
manners or does this problem still exist?
Russia is worried about losing influence over its neighbours. I'm not
sure that this is an imperial policy - most countries want friendly
neighbours and don't want their neighbours to be too close to powers
they feel are hostile. The fear is that Western-oriented neighbours
will become hostile to Russia.
Did the August 2008 war against Georgia do much harm to Russia's
international image or are economic interests above politics?
Yes, it did harm Russia's international image. It is true that economic
interests tend to take preference but it is also true that there was
not a lot that the international community could do to punish Russia
for the war.
May the results of the presidential elections in Russia influence
relations with other post-Soviet republics?
No, I think that whomever is elected president, foreign policy won't
change much.
How can you explain Russia's very active mediation to find a Karabakh
settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, while mediation failed in
Georgia and led to the August war?
Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have been as hostile to Russia as
Georgia was. Besides, Russia would rather be known as a mediator and
problem solver than a warmonger.
President Medvedev personally has been working hard to bring
Azerbaijan's and Armenian's positions closer. Will there be a drop-off
in effort if Vladimir Putin is re-elected as the "new old" president
of Russia?
It depends on how far the process has succeeded by the time the
election takes place. Medvedev and Putin have different manners and
different ways of pursuing policies, but they share very similar
policies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
news.az
Aug 17, 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Margot Light, professor emeritus at the Department
of International Relations at the London School of Economics What do
you think about Russia's policy towards its neighbours, especially
the Western-oriented countries? Has Russia got rid of its imperial
manners or does this problem still exist?
Russia is worried about losing influence over its neighbours. I'm not
sure that this is an imperial policy - most countries want friendly
neighbours and don't want their neighbours to be too close to powers
they feel are hostile. The fear is that Western-oriented neighbours
will become hostile to Russia.
Did the August 2008 war against Georgia do much harm to Russia's
international image or are economic interests above politics?
Yes, it did harm Russia's international image. It is true that economic
interests tend to take preference but it is also true that there was
not a lot that the international community could do to punish Russia
for the war.
May the results of the presidential elections in Russia influence
relations with other post-Soviet republics?
No, I think that whomever is elected president, foreign policy won't
change much.
How can you explain Russia's very active mediation to find a Karabakh
settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, while mediation failed in
Georgia and led to the August war?
Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have been as hostile to Russia as
Georgia was. Besides, Russia would rather be known as a mediator and
problem solver than a warmonger.
President Medvedev personally has been working hard to bring
Azerbaijan's and Armenian's positions closer. Will there be a drop-off
in effort if Vladimir Putin is re-elected as the "new old" president
of Russia?
It depends on how far the process has succeeded by the time the
election takes place. Medvedev and Putin have different manners and
different ways of pursuing policies, but they share very similar
policies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress