The post-Soviet world is entering a dangerous new phase. The former Soviet republics have been left to cope with their problems by themselves. The regional efforts that various world powers tried to launch for various reasons in the 2000s did not work. Now it even sounds odd to speak of Russia having a zone of “privileged interests.” If anything, Russia has a “zone of responsibility.” The former Soviet republics have been left to cope with their problems by themselves. If Moscow does not find a way to respond to challenges such as Kyrgyzstan, any later claims it might make to a special role in the region will be unconvincing. It is also unlikely that any other world powers will express a desire to assume the heavy burden of responsibility for the region.
“This is slavery, not to speak one's thought.” ― Euripides, The Phoenician Women
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Moscow Times: Kyrgyzstan Russian Zone of Responsibility
Writing in The Moscow Times, Fyodor Lukyanov says Russia must act in Kyrgyzstan: