By Vestnik Kavkaza
The USA Secretary of State John Kerry hopes that the situation in Ukraine and Crimea won’t influence cooperation with Russia on the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons: “I hope Russia is still motivated to be a partner in this work.”
In Russia, Syria has paled into insignificance due to the situation in Crimea. The vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, Vladimir Anokhin, thinks that the position of the USA toward Syria is reasonable: “Why did the USA break diplomatic relations with Syria? Was it hysteria? No, it was a thought-out step. The UN ordered Russia and the USA to find a political settlement of the Syrian crisis, i.e. to make the opposition and Assad’s government negotiate. Russia supports Assad, the USA support the opposition, and together Moscow and Washington are able to find sound political forces which will make a political decision. However, the USA made an interesting turn and stated: “We don’t recognize Assad’s regime, we break down the diplomatic relations!” It means that one of sides which have to moderate peaceful talks doesn’t want to help. Thus, all UN messages and Geneva talks fail due to “high-minded” reasons not to work with Assad. What is next?
People are not stupid, they understand clearly what will happen, if the Islamists win. The USA loses influence with every new revolution and war – Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan. There are no benefits, only destruction. They will either have to correct their policy seriously or to act typically. The step made by the Americans was rather stupid. It damages their international image, hampers talks in Syria, and stresses out their Western European partners. The events in Ukraine and Syria require that Europe will experience difficult times in the nearest future because of America which fights in Syria.”
Veniamin Popov, Director of the Center of Partnership of Civilizations of MSUFA, speaks about a connection between developments in Syria and Ukraine: “The Syrian crisis and the veto which we adopted in the Security Council together with the Chineese against foreign intervention to Syria formally marked the end of the unipolar world. The agreement with the Americans on the international conference of Geneva-2 confirmed a new balance of forces in the world. The events over joining Crimea mean that the world has become multipolar. The balance of forces has changed.”
Vladimir Yevseyev, Director of the Center for Socio-Political Studies, agrees with Popov: “There is no unipolar world anymore. However, to make it multipolar, Russia and China have to build allied relations. At the same time, the USA are failing already. Ukraine brings no dividends to them. In fact the USA needed no Ukraine, but Crimea with its bases, advantageous location for an American military base. The loss of Crimea levels down necessity in Ukraine which is a burden.”
How can it influence the Syrian developments? According to Yevseyev, “the USA are seriously disturbed. They try to do something in one place or another. As the result, there is no general line. Failure of the American weight gives Syria a chance. The USA and Israel want the Syrian war never stop. By autumn it will be clear that force is useless in winning the war. In this context Geneva-3 could be held and it would give an opportunity for a compromise.”
