RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY: PARALLEL WITH THE SOVIET UNION
Dr. Tanvir Orakzai
August 18, 2006
The foreign policy of Russia that emerged after the collapse of Soviet Union has some parallel with the Soviet Union. In the early 1992 the then foreign minister Andrey Kozrev announced that Russian foreign policy would be different from “Gorbachev’s “new thinking”. Kozrev clearly mentioned that Russia would pursue its own interests rather than international community interests. Russian foreign policy remained clam for two years between 1992 and 1993 due its own domestic problems. Before the attack on Yugoslavia, Russia flexed its mussel and openly opposed NATO attack. During the war Russia offered intelligence to Yugoslavia that resulted in the shooting of US top plan that was earlier considered invisible. Russia sent its troops before the arrival of NATO army to capture the capital city airport baffling the NATO and forcing it to give some role to in post war Yugoslavia. Such move can be seen as a reminiscent of Cold War where Russia would take the risk to establish its right by show of force. Thus we can see that in the wake of disintegration Russia started to look for new objectives in his foreign policy.
This new foreign policy concept provided a new meaning to consider a Russia a new great power where its national security should be achieved through diplomacy and protecting its interests by establishing not only Russian market, but also assisting the newly independent markets including the central Europe. This concept did not ask for open opposition to the West, but paid less attention to the pro-West policies. The new foreign policy was new move meant to unify the Russian motherland under a new military strategic space to protect Russian interests. This concept advocated the concept of protecting former CIS states in Russia sphere from any kind of political, economic and religious influence. For the conservatives Russian dominance is essential to secure its southern borders ensuring continuous access to waterways and natural resources in the former Russian states. In the early days 1990s some of the conservative advocated Russian line of defense to secure its boundaries from growing influence of Turkey and Iran; however it did materialize due to its other priorities.
It was under this situation that Chechnya; which was given freedom in President Yelstin era (1996); Putin took a U- turn and attacked Chechnya without a warning; a reminiscence of the Cold War Soviet Union. In the wake of 9-11; as soon as US announced pre-emptive attack policy; Russia announced similar policy in no-time. In the recent Georgian election (2004/2005), Russia openly supported pro-Russian government in the country. The West pushed for democracy, which was installed, but Georgia had to suffer as its gas supply was cutoff by Russia as a punishment.
In the recent geo-political moves Russia has tried to regain control of its former states. The growing pressure for reforms and the popular rising in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan propelled these sates for democratic changes, but it must be remembered that all of them are dependent on Russia. Moscow’s economic role in Ukraine and in the central Asia has given governments in these states to retreat from popular rising demands. The current situation in Russia is quite similar to former Soviet Union as Russia still has enormous influence over many of its key states. Many states has over thrown earlier Russian imposed system, but being economic dependent on Russia, it is not possible for these states to get rid of Russian influence that easily. For example in the former states there are millions of Russians who are working in key areas of these states to provide technical skill to Soviet era infrastructure.
Russia is also closely observing American presence in Afghanistan; this presence has given Russia also an excuse to launch an aggressive war in Caucasus on the pretext of terrorism. Such excuse is far from true, but Russia is finding the situation ripe to curb Chechnya as much as possible and to control all the key territories and create strong parameters of its borders. The Russian foreign policy pundits consider such moves natural for a state that had once the status of a super power, however the West look at such moves with suspicions. Russia sees it self as a great power in a multi-polar world and considers it best to advance its interest through slow and calculated diplomatic moves.
Russia has the potential to become major global player for two reasons; the first is its natural resources that are of great importance to the world where energy prices are going up. It would be hard for countries dependent on oil and gas to ignore her presence. The second is her militarily might; even though Russian army at present is not as developed as US, but in the past few years Russia has not hugely invested in modernizing its army, but it has also been exporting military hardware in the needed markets. The recent US war on terror has given again another opportunity to increase significantly its army hardware; a lot of which has been exported to India, Iran and Syria. Such moves have brought Russia not only hard cash, but it is also winning support from the Muslim countries (Iran and Syria) that has ideological differences with US. The support of Palestine Hamas has also increased Russia acceptance as state enhancing its image. Russia is also building relationship with the rising India, which is buying huge amount of Russian military hardware. Thus we can say that Russia is finding new allies and see itself a power broker in wake of US growing power.
This new foreign policy concept provided a new meaning to consider a Russia a new great power where its national security should be achieved through diplomacy and protecting its interests by establishing not only Russian market, but also assisting the newly independent markets including the central Europe. This concept did not ask for open opposition to the West, but paid less attention to the pro-West policies. The new foreign policy was new move meant to unify the Russian motherland under a new military strategic space to protect Russian interests. This concept advocated the concept of protecting former CIS states in Russia sphere from any kind of political, economic and religious influence. For the conservatives Russian dominance is essential to secure its southern borders ensuring continuous access to waterways and natural resources in the former Russian states. In the early days 1990s some of the conservative advocated Russian line of defense to secure its boundaries from growing influence of Turkey and Iran; however it did materialize due to its other priorities.
It was under this situation that Chechnya; which was given freedom in President Yelstin era (1996); Putin took a U- turn and attacked Chechnya without a warning; a reminiscence of the Cold War Soviet Union. In the wake of 9-11; as soon as US announced pre-emptive attack policy; Russia announced similar policy in no-time. In the recent Georgian election (2004/2005), Russia openly supported pro-Russian government in the country. The West pushed for democracy, which was installed, but Georgia had to suffer as its gas supply was cutoff by Russia as a punishment.
In the recent geo-political moves Russia has tried to regain control of its former states. The growing pressure for reforms and the popular rising in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan propelled these sates for democratic changes, but it must be remembered that all of them are dependent on Russia. Moscow’s economic role in Ukraine and in the central Asia has given governments in these states to retreat from popular rising demands. The current situation in Russia is quite similar to former Soviet Union as Russia still has enormous influence over many of its key states. Many states has over thrown earlier Russian imposed system, but being economic dependent on Russia, it is not possible for these states to get rid of Russian influence that easily. For example in the former states there are millions of Russians who are working in key areas of these states to provide technical skill to Soviet era infrastructure.
Russia is also closely observing American presence in Afghanistan; this presence has given Russia also an excuse to launch an aggressive war in Caucasus on the pretext of terrorism. Such excuse is far from true, but Russia is finding the situation ripe to curb Chechnya as much as possible and to control all the key territories and create strong parameters of its borders. The Russian foreign policy pundits consider such moves natural for a state that had once the status of a super power, however the West look at such moves with suspicions. Russia sees it self as a great power in a multi-polar world and considers it best to advance its interest through slow and calculated diplomatic moves.
Russia has the potential to become major global player for two reasons; the first is its natural resources that are of great importance to the world where energy prices are going up. It would be hard for countries dependent on oil and gas to ignore her presence. The second is her militarily might; even though Russian army at present is not as developed as US, but in the past few years Russia has not hugely invested in modernizing its army, but it has also been exporting military hardware in the needed markets. The recent US war on terror has given again another opportunity to increase significantly its army hardware; a lot of which has been exported to India, Iran and Syria. Such moves have brought Russia not only hard cash, but it is also winning support from the Muslim countries (Iran and Syria) that has ideological differences with US. The support of Palestine Hamas has also increased Russia acceptance as state enhancing its image. Russia is also building relationship with the rising India, which is buying huge amount of Russian military hardware. Thus we can say that Russia is finding new allies and see itself a power broker in wake of US growing power.
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