Margelov: "Arab Spring" influences Caucasus and Central Asia

Margelov: "Arab Spring" influences Caucasus and Central Asia
The consequences of the Arab spring revolutions have a direct impact on the
situation in the Caucasus and Central Asia, the chairman of the Federation
Council Committee on International Affairs, Mikhail Margelov said, RIA
Novosti reports.

The committee meeting, held behind closed doors, was attended by the
Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Vitaly Naumkin, director of
the Center for European Security Tatiana Parkhalina and president of the
Institute for Middle East Yevgeny Satanovsky.

The experts noted that the escalation of the Sunni-Shiite conflict plays a
major role in the Middle Eastern crisis. It results in the strengthening of
anti-Iranian tendencies which determine the situation in Syria. Experts
believe that in case of Syrian regime change, Salafis might play
a decisive role there, especially in view of the strong fragmentation of
the official opposition.

Regarding Russia's role in the "Arab spring", the experts who participated
in the meeting of the committee noted that Russia must continue to be
involved in the crisis.