In UN Vote, Russias Sphere of Influence Hedges Its Bets | RFE/RL —The Kremlin may be wondering where some of its neighbors were during a UN vote rebuking Russias annexation of Crimea. The 11 states that voted against the resolution are recognizable as traditional Russian allies. The list includes South American states that are hostile to Washington, such as Venezuela. It also includes Syria, which has relied on Moscows vote on the UN Security Council to shelter the regime of Bashar al-Assad. What must have been disappointing for Russia, however, is the fact that only two members of the Moscow-backed CIS/Commonwealth of Independent States—Armenia and Belarus—voted against the resolution. Azerbaijan and Moldova voted in favor of the proposal recognizing Ukraines territorial integrity. All other CIS members either abstained or refrained from voting. Russia has labored to show that opposition to its actions in Ukraine is a Western phenomenon rather than a worldwide consensus. But the former Soviet republics are also wary about Russias justification for its incursion into Crimea, which Moscow says was based on its responsibility to protect Russian speakers. On one hand, countries like Kazakhstan, which, along with Belarus, is a member of a Russian-backed CU/Customs Union, have based their foreign policies on close ties with Russia. In statements over the past month, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Armenia have all given some degree of support or acquiescence to what Russia says is Crimeas right to self-determination. ---▶Read in full on RFE/RL
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 08:17:41 +0000
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