09-01-2008, 03:50 AM
Russia anounces âspheres of interestâ
By Charles Clover in Moscow
Published: August 31 2008 18:59 | Last updated: August 31 2008 18:59
Russiaâs president Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday announced Moscowâs intention to preserve geographical spheres âof privileged interestâ on or near its borders as part of a five point foreign policy statement in a television interview.
The announcement, in the wake of the recent conflict in Georgia, is likely to raise the political temperature in neighbouring states, especially those with significant Russian minorities, as they try to gauge Russiaâs appetite for future conflicts in the region.
He said that Russia would defend âthe life and dignityâ of Russian citizens âno matter where they are locatedâ. He was referring to Russiaâs intervention in Georgia with the declared aim of defending Russian citizens in South Ossetia against Georgian forces.
Mr Medvedev announced that Russia would provide aid â including military help â to the enclaves of South Ossetian and Abkhazia.
In the announcing his five-point foreign policy, he emphasised Russiaâs wish to avoid confrontation or international isolation as the result of the recent conflict, which has been widely criticised in the west. âRussia does not intend to isolate itself. We will develop, as much as possible, our friendly relations with Europe and the United States, and other nations of the worldâ
He also focused on a commitment to international law, and again expressed Moscowâs now familiar antipathy to a âunipolarâ world dominated by Washington, saying âthis type of world is unstable and threatens conflictâ.
Mr Medvedevâs announcement that Russia has âregions of priviledged interestâ is likely to be greeted with concern in the west, where it might be interpreted as the announcement that Moscow has imperial ambitions in the former Soviet Union. It is also likely to resonate in Crimea, the province of Ukraine that is dominated by ethnic Russians, ethnically Russian northern Kazakhstan, and Baltic states with large Russian minorities.
"Russia, like other countries in the world, has regions in which it has privileged interestsâ said Mr Medvedev. âIn these regions are located countries which have friendly relationsâ¦Russia will work attentively in these regions" he said, adding these "privileged" regions included states bordering Russia, but not only those.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
By Charles Clover in Moscow
Published: August 31 2008 18:59 | Last updated: August 31 2008 18:59
Russiaâs president Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday announced Moscowâs intention to preserve geographical spheres âof privileged interestâ on or near its borders as part of a five point foreign policy statement in a television interview.
The announcement, in the wake of the recent conflict in Georgia, is likely to raise the political temperature in neighbouring states, especially those with significant Russian minorities, as they try to gauge Russiaâs appetite for future conflicts in the region.
He said that Russia would defend âthe life and dignityâ of Russian citizens âno matter where they are locatedâ. He was referring to Russiaâs intervention in Georgia with the declared aim of defending Russian citizens in South Ossetia against Georgian forces.
Mr Medvedev announced that Russia would provide aid â including military help â to the enclaves of South Ossetian and Abkhazia.
In the announcing his five-point foreign policy, he emphasised Russiaâs wish to avoid confrontation or international isolation as the result of the recent conflict, which has been widely criticised in the west. âRussia does not intend to isolate itself. We will develop, as much as possible, our friendly relations with Europe and the United States, and other nations of the worldâ
He also focused on a commitment to international law, and again expressed Moscowâs now familiar antipathy to a âunipolarâ world dominated by Washington, saying âthis type of world is unstable and threatens conflictâ.
Mr Medvedevâs announcement that Russia has âregions of priviledged interestâ is likely to be greeted with concern in the west, where it might be interpreted as the announcement that Moscow has imperial ambitions in the former Soviet Union. It is also likely to resonate in Crimea, the province of Ukraine that is dominated by ethnic Russians, ethnically Russian northern Kazakhstan, and Baltic states with large Russian minorities.
"Russia, like other countries in the world, has regions in which it has privileged interestsâ said Mr Medvedev. âIn these regions are located countries which have friendly relationsâ¦Russia will work attentively in these regions" he said, adding these "privileged" regions included states bordering Russia, but not only those.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008