Comments on: Dushanbe Diplomacy http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/ European Opinion Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:07:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: AL http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22037 AL Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:50:07 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22037 B: Take into account that East Europe is scared shitless of re-born of Russian expansionism, real or imaginable. In this case it is better to over-react than be sorry afterwards. Same applies to America, plus distress to realize that global superpower fades at borders of regional superpower. Hysterics will pass, hopefully. B:

Take into account that East Europe is scared shitless of re-born of Russian expansionism, real or imaginable. In this case it is better to over-react than be sorry afterwards. Same applies to America, plus distress to realize that global superpower fades at borders of regional superpower.

Hysterics will pass, hopefully.

]]> By: b http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22035 b Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:39:24 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22035 well, the SCO "support the active role of Russia in assisting peace and cooperation in the region," "Active role" like in the "active role" Russia took earlier this month. I have no idea how all the "western" news and and "analysts" can interpret that as something negative for Russia. It is completely U.S. spin with no regard to reality. well, the SCO “support the active role of Russia in assisting peace and cooperation in the region,”

“Active role” like in the “active role” Russia took earlier this month.

I have no idea how all the “western” news and and “analysts” can interpret that as something negative for Russia. It is completely U.S. spin with no regard to reality.

]]> By: Todd Thompson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22033 Todd Thompson Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:48:05 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22033 The western press is making this bigger than is warranted. I doubt Russia expected totally agreement with what happened, especially given China's position and it's problems. However, they didn't want a comdamnation from them. The got what they expected, but not more, and didn't get what they surely wanted to avoid. Maybe the EU and NATO should run over and beg for them to support their violation of Serbia's sovereignty now and see what happens. Afterall, the violation of Serbia's sovereignty is also dead in the UNSC due to the Chinese position, as well as Russia's. The Chinese don't even have to worry about the Olympics anymore. Expect action in Xinjiang in the very near future (if it even makes the news). It may just be an action of silent arrests. Perhaps the EU and NATO should intervene on that too. Or, given their position on Georgia, perhaps they are OK with crushing guerilla movements and the civilians thereabouts now. Bi-polar policymakers, like Solano, Cheney, Bildt, and Bush are so interesting. The western press is making this bigger than is warranted.

I doubt Russia expected totally agreement with what happened, especially given China’s position and it’s problems. However, they didn’t want a comdamnation from them. The got what they expected, but not more, and didn’t get what they surely wanted to avoid.

Maybe the EU and NATO should run over and beg for them to support their violation of Serbia’s sovereignty now and see what happens.

Afterall, the violation of Serbia’s sovereignty is also dead in the UNSC due to the Chinese position, as well as Russia’s. The Chinese don’t even have to worry about the Olympics anymore.

Expect action in Xinjiang in the very near future (if it even makes the news). It may just be an action of silent arrests. Perhaps the EU and NATO should intervene on that too. Or, given their position on Georgia, perhaps they are OK with crushing guerilla movements and the civilians thereabouts now. Bi-polar policymakers, like Solano, Cheney, Bildt, and Bush are so interesting.

]]> By: Toader http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22031 Toader Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:15:49 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22031 http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/9677 If Russia wants, it could say that it's protecting territorial integrity by reuniting the two Ossetias. :P http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/9677

If Russia wants, it could say that it’s protecting territorial integrity by reuniting the two Ossetias. :P

]]> By: Randy McDonald http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22030 Randy McDonald Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:52:53 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22030 No one ever accused Russian foreign policy of being exceptionally subtle. No one ever accused Russian foreign policy of being exceptionally subtle.

]]> By: Doug Merrill http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22029 Doug Merrill Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:59:39 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22029 Don't expect the Russian government to say "Gosh, we really wanted Chinese support but couldn't get it." But reports all around suggest that's the case. Plus, who put SO and Abk on the agenda for the communique if not the Russians? Uzbekistan? "The summit this past week of the regional security group, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization - which groups Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and also includes Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan and India as observers - gave Russia only soft support and did not endorse the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia had hoped to use the SCO to demonstrate that it has support among states even while the EU is considering sanctions against Moscow. In the SCO, however, Central Asians could hide behind China, which has made it clear that under no circumstances is it prepared to support any form of separatism. The SCO, in fact, was created in part to resist separatism in Central Asia and elsewhere." -- Oksana Antonenko, International Herald Tribune, August 29, 2008 Google around a bit, there's certainly more where that came from. Don’t expect the Russian government to say “Gosh, we really wanted Chinese support but couldn’t get it.” But reports all around suggest that’s the case. Plus, who put SO and Abk on the agenda for the communique if not the Russians? Uzbekistan?

“The summit this past week of the regional security group, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization - which groups Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and also includes Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan and India as observers - gave Russia only soft support and did not endorse the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia had hoped to use the SCO to demonstrate that it has support among states even while the EU is considering sanctions against Moscow.

In the SCO, however, Central Asians could hide behind China, which has made it clear that under no circumstances is it prepared to support any form of separatism. The SCO, in fact, was created in part to resist separatism in Central Asia and elsewhere.” — Oksana Antonenko, International Herald Tribune, August 29, 2008

Google around a bit, there’s certainly more where that came from.

]]> By: Sovereignty out the window? « The 8th Circle http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22028 Sovereignty out the window? « The 8th Circle Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:18:28 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22028 [...] to Beijing’s own territorial woes in the Xinjiang province and Taiwan [update:  also Tibet, via Doug Merrill at Afoe]. The SCO, where China plays a co-leading role with Russia, simply could not support a [...] [...] to Beijing’s own territorial woes in the Xinjiang province and Taiwan [update:  also Tibet, via Doug Merrill at Afoe]. The SCO, where China plays a co-leading role with Russia, simply could not support a [...]

]]> By: b http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22026 b Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:03:35 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22026 The links are to news/analysis pieces by a cathlic service form Iraly and by Bloomberg. Is there any statement from the Russian side that they really tried to get support? The links are to news/analysis pieces by a cathlic service form Iraly and by Bloomberg.

Is there any statement from the Russian side that they really tried to get support?

]]> By: P O'Neill http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/dushanbe-diplomacy/#comment-22025 P O'Neill Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:15:08 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3542#comment-22025 As a side note, it was interesting to read Christopher Hitchens' <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2198529/" rel="nofollow">recollection of his younger self</a> at the time of the Prague crisis in 1968. Note his observation that China at the time condemned the Soviet intervention. So maybe people with long memories aren't so surprised that the Chinese won't endorse the Georgia intervention either. As a side note, it was interesting to read Christopher Hitchens’ recollection of his younger self at the time of the Prague crisis in 1968. Note his observation that China at the time condemned the Soviet intervention. So maybe people with long memories aren’t so surprised that the Chinese won’t endorse the Georgia intervention either.

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