Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev waves 

as he walks with Cuba's President

Posted by Cristina Avram, Geopolitics.ro

Although geographically distant from Russia, Latin America is one of the main priorities of the Russian government's foreign policy. Russian authorities have come very close, in fact, to some Latin American regimes.  Actually Russia's spectacular return to this region is part of its overall strategy to strengthen Russia's interests and position in the world scene. 

Russia's recent tendency to influence Latin America started in 1997. The collapse of the Soviet Union has precipitated the collapse of the Russian Federation's influence in South America, as succesor of the Soviet Union. This has determined the Prime Minister Evgheni Primakov to start reviving Russia's position in Latin America as a global power in 1997. Since then, Russia's objectives have remained remarkably consistent, as  policy instruments: trade, arms sales political support for those governments who were trying to escape USA's influence.

In Latin America, Moscow takes full advantage of the open anti-american climate and the diplomatic tensions with Washington (anti-missile shield, NATO's expansion, the Georgian crisis, the presence of the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Black Sea) to implant itself in the American sphere of influence. Thus, Russians reply to U.S. intrusion in the Caucasian and Central Asian region. Actually, Russia wants to gain the loyalty of new economic partners by making bilateral agreements in the aeronautics, energy and military sphere.

Brazil

In Brazil, Russian diplomacy favors, above all, increasing trade and expanding energy, aerospacial and military cooperation. Only in 2008 trade of the two BRIC countries exceeded $ 7.3 billion. The dynamics of the Russian-Brazilian partnership is explained mainly by converging interests in several strategic areas. In the energy sector, Moscow is determined to associate itself with Brazil to exploit Brazilian oil and gas deposits. On the other hand, Brazil wants to purchase Russian equipment for their hydroelectric plants which are under construction, as well for developing their booming rail network. In aerospace, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Rocosmos) signed an agreement with the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) to implement a cooperation and development mechanism for 'Glonass', the Russian system for satellite global navigation,  competitor of the American 'GPS' and future European 'Galileo'. Russian military-industrial complex hopes actually to sell to Brazilians military equipment (weapons, helicopters, bombs, planes, submarines) that the country needs to strengthen its military power. In addition, relanching the Brazilian nuclear program also opens the path for stronger cooperation between Moscow and Brazil in civil and military nuclear. 

Cuba

With Cuba, relationships were initially damaged after the fall of Soviet Union in 1991. In the world after the Cold War, Havana didn't hope to matter anymore to Moscow. The comming to power of Vladimir Putin has changed this geopolitical situation. Since Cuba was still suffering because of U.S. embargo established in 1962, the Russian President was personally involved in the Cuban affairs, supporting the lifting of economic sanctions by the UN, on one hand, and by providing financial credit for many areas, on the other hand. In November 2008, Moscow offered Havana a loan of $ 335 million for the purchase of Russian equipment for the oil, mining and transport sectors. In early 2009, the two countries have signed new agreements. These agreements mainly concern the food and fishing industries, cooperation in education, scientific research, sports and tourism. This Russian-Cuban dialogue allows Moscow to have guaranteed new markets for its products, to expand its influence on the castrist regime and to maintain its presence here, at less than 300 km from the U.S. coastline. 

Venezuela

Venezuela is the key element in the Russian-Latin-American game. The parallel anti-american positions of Russia and Venezuela are already known: Russia out of interest and willingness to become a respected power like USSR used to be, Venezuela by Chavez's ideology and willingness to impose himself as a lider in his country as well throughout the South-American continent. For the anti-imperialist sentiment is growing rapidly in an over-exploited Latin-America by the 'yankee' 's interests for so long.

Caracas is a reliable ally for Moscow in the new energy cold war that is foreshadowing. First producer of gas from South America and fifth worldwide producer of oil, Venezuela incites the Russian gas and oil appetite. In November of 2008, Russian companies Lukoil and Gazprom signed an agreement with the PDVSA oil group which was targeting the exploitation of oil in Orinoco, a river located in the East of the country, hoping to produce more than 1 million barrels per day. If this project materializes, we'll be talking about the most powerfull alliance in the world of oil. Far from being limited to hydrocarbons, Russian strategy in Venezuela is making profit from Venezuela's chavist government military ambitions. Between 2005 and 2007 Caracas signed with Moscow 12 contracts for arms worth 4.4 billion dollars, buying 24 Sukhoi fighter jets, 50 fighter helicopters and 100,000 Kalachnicov rifles. In 2010 Caracas obtained from Moscow a loan of $ 2.2 million to buy T-72 tanks and an undisclosed number of S-300 air-defense bombs, in 2011 negociating a new agreement with Russia to get a $ 4 billion loan, half of which is destined to equip and modernize the armed forces. Also, with Chavez's visit to Moscow in 2010, relations with Russia have been strengthened, Russian President saying that Russia may sell equipment and machinery to Venezuela, and Venezuela might sell agricultural products to Russia. Medvedev claimed that Russia is ready to take part in various regional organizations and Latin American forums which requires a joint task approach such as terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, environmental issues, sustainable development and economic aid. Furthermore, Medvedev considers that Venezuela 'has acted like a true friend' when it followed Russia and recognized former Georgian republics South Ossetia and Abkhazia at the last visit Chavez had made to Moscow in 2009.

In the civil nuclear area, Russians and Venezuelans have signed a bilateral agreement on controlled thermonuclear synthesis and safety of nuclear installations and radiation sources. The nuclear cooperation is also accompanied by a military cooperation. On September 10, 2008, two Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear bombs landed at Palo Negro in Venezuela to participate in joint manuevers with Hugo Chavez's Bolivarian armed forces. In December 2008, a similar training of naval forces of the two countries, called "VenRus", took place in the Caribbean. These military exercises employed 2,300 people of the Russian and Venezuelan fleet, 3 frigates, an amphibious vehicle and 8 patrol vessels. This strategic cooperation serves Moscow's interests who wants to propose an alternative to the American presence in the region. 

In fact, the geopolitical situation between these two countries illustrates how the relationship between Russia and Latin America becomes more important day by day, not only because of the weapons sold in the region, but also because of the diplomatic resources that Moscow had used in South America. The continously cold relationship between Venezuela and the U.S. in addition to Washington's controversial relationship with Moscow will contribute further to the substantial strengthening of military and diplomatic ties between Russia and Venezuela. This possibility can't make U.S. happy. The new situation facing Washington is that Russia will be a growing factor when it comes to leftist governments in the region, who want autonomy from U.S. policy makers, and which Washington considers dangerous, but that Moscow considers to be very good.

In conclusion, we can say that the policy led by Moscow in Latin America is the product of old aspirations: to establish Russia the status of a great power and of a country which promotes a multipolar world; in fact, it's more of a closing towards USA than an economic policy with strategic objectives. 

Translated in English from Romanian language, Original Article appeared on our Partner website.

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Courtesy: Allvoices.com

In a poll conducted by the Croatians whether to join the European Union or not, Croatians have shown interest in joining the union, despite the high profile protests in the country against joining the European Union. (Read: Protests in Croatia Against Joining European Union)

Thus, Croatia will become second country after Slovenia from the former Yugoslavia to join the European Union.

Reports says that the turn out for the poll was mere 43.58 percent which was even lesser than the turnout for the general election in the country last year in the month of December. Nevertheless the voting results are valid regardless of turnout as only a simple majority was required. Among the people who voted, 66% voted in favour of joining the European Union.

Anti EU groups which were also involved in anti European Union protests claimed that the results of the vote cannot be considered as valid because of the poor turnout which was less than 50%

Although nearly 40% of the people voted against the idea of joining the European Union, all major political parties are in favour of joining the union, as it is believed it will help in recovery of the economy of this former Yugoslavia republic which got independence in 1995 after four years of war with Serb rebels.

"The Croatian government can now complete the remaining preparations for membership... so that Croatia can become the Union's 28th member on July 1 2013," the two EU leaders, president Herman Van Rompuy and Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said in a joint statement.

Croatia, whose economy is largely dependent on Adriatic tourism has been facing little struggle to maintain its economy, experts believe that the economy might shrink by 0.2 percent this year. At this people believe joining the European Union might help int he recovery of economy of the country. Though the time of joining might not be a golden time for both as the European Union is itself asking countries like China, India and gulf countries to bail out their crippling economy. 

Membership in the world’s largest trading bloc may provide the Adriatic nation with hundreds of millions of euros in regional development and infrastructure subsidies. Companies such as Germany’s Siemens AG and Deutsche Telekom AG and Sweden’s Ericsson AB expect to expand into the Balkans as western Europe’s growth stalls over the debt crisis, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

“The European Union gives us a ticket to the world in which we can be successful,” Davor Majetic, head of the Croatian Association of Entrepreneurs, said by phone. “We want to work and have an opportunity to turn our ideas into profitable products that can reach that market of 500 million people.”

Meanwhile, Anti Union groups are were stressing on low turnout, "This is a defeat of Croatia's freedom (and) independence... We are entering an association that is falling apart," Zeljko Sacic, of the 'Council for Croatia - No to EU' umbrella group, told national television as reported by AFP.

Those opposed to entering the European Union have also expressed fears about a loss of sovereignty and national identity in this country of 4.2 million, says AFP.

It was in the year of 2000, when the pro European government came in this former Yugoslavia republic which transformed the government system in the country into genuine parliamentary democracy. 

With this success of Croatia, other former Yugoslavia republics are also showing their interest in the union.   Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia all have aspirations to join.

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In a new development from North Africa, Pro Gaddafi's fighters re-emerged to take small revenge.

Pro Gaddafi Fighters loyal to late Libyan leader clashed with revolutionary forces in the former-regime stronghold of Bani Walid on Monday after the arrest of one of the Gaddaffi Loyalist. With this they have successfully gained the control over the city. According to few analysts the country is heading towards another civil war. The head of Libya’s National Transitional Council Mustafa Abdel Jalil has said the country will find itself in civil war if NTC resigns.

The clashes reportedly came after mass protests in the city of Benghazi happened on the weekend as well as  subsequent resignation of NTC (National Transitional Council) deputy chief Abdel Hafiz Ghoga resulting into death of at least five NTC troops and injury to 30 others

Sabah al-Mukhtar, President of the Arab Lawyers Association explained to Russia Today that why another civil war is possible in the country.

“Reason number one is that the arms are still in the hands of the various militias in various areas," in addition to competing tribes in those areas, explained 

“At the same time, the political views of the people are in conflict. You have a situation when people want Islam to be a part of the constitution, while you have others that are liberals who do not.”

“So you have the conflict on policies as well as the availability of arms,” he concluded.

Sabah al-Mukhtar also says there are dramatic divergences in what the NTC says and what it actually does.

“Many of them are actually from the old regime – including the leader who was a Minister of Justice under Gaddafi – and there are many other people like his deputy, like many others, who were men of Gaddafi and at the same time now they say, 'we will not allow those who benefited from Gaddafi`s regime to stand for elections.'"

The lawyer pointed out that the head of NTC himself served as a Minister of Justice under Gaddafi and turned blind eye to many injustices in the country, as told by RT.

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Demonstrators burning EU flag

In an another important development in Eastern Europe, hundreds of thousands of Hungarians came out on the streets to protest against the European Union's attitude towards their government and head of the state, Prime Minister Victor Orban.

The protest labelled as " Peace parade for Hungary " is the largest rally since the government assumed the power in May 2010. Indicating that the majority of the countrymen are with their government in the row with European Union.

The European Commission - the EU's executive arm - has opened legal proceedings against Hungary over reforms like the independence of the national central bank, the retirement age of judges, and the independence of the country's data protection authority aiming to prop up its battered forint currency and keep access to financial markets. The commission is also seeking more information in regard to the independence of the judiciary, said the president of The European Commission, Barroso.

The Commission launched an infringement procedure against Hungary on Tuesday, the first stage of which is a warning calling for changes to the controversial laws,  Infringement proceedings are a step preceding legal action, intended to enable a state to make changes to conform with EU law rather than be taken to court. 

Barroso had written to Orban in December requesting him the withdrawal of two recent bills related to the country's financial stability and the central bank. The prime minister of Hungary, Orban had then rejected the requests.

The Commission can go as far as imposing fines and taking Hungary to the European Court of Justice. Both the European Union and International Monetary Fund have said they will refuse to extend aid to Hungary, which is struggling financially, unless the government in Budapest guarantees the independence of the central bank. The process could lead to Hungary losing voting rights in Brussels, not to mention bankruptcy if the EU torpedoes Hungary’s bid for an urgently needed financial bailout.

Hungarian Prime Minister, Orban is travelling to Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday to try to come out with a political agreement with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, in order to be able to start formal talks with the EU and International Monetary Fund about a loan deal worth $25 billion (20bn euros) to service its debts which Hungary wanted to secure from a while back. Hungary's total debt has risen to 82% of its output, while its currency, the forint, has fallen to record lows against the euro.

Orban has faced domestic protests against him demanding his resignation for passing anti democratic bills, Tens of thousands of people protested against the new constitution in Budapest earlier this month. The demonstration lasted only mere five hours and was organized by opposition parties and civil society groups.

But the current protests in Hungary are pro government in Orban's support, demonstrating anger against the European Union.

Deputy PM Zsolt Semjén told hard-right station Lánchíd Rádió that he knows the government has made “millions and millions of mistakes but I believe that there were no strategic errors committed”, and attacks against Hungary have no factual basis whatsoever.

Semjén said Hungary should respond much more strongly to criticism because it is unacceptable for certain politicians in the European Union to attack the country on issues that are more strictly regulated in their own countries.

According to Gábor Vona, the leader of the radical right Jobbik, Hungary should secede from the European Union. Responding to it Semjén said it is rational for Hungary to exercise its rights within the 27-member bloc. But the real question is what would happen the day after Hungary leaves the EU? “There are two wrong ideas about this issue,” Semjén said. “One belongs to the liberal side, which looks at the EU as a goal of Hungary. The other error is being hostile towards international organisations due to certain emotional reasons. I can understand the latter to a certain extent but if we are not with the EU, where are we? Are we to be a part of Russian interests or do we hover in the no man’s land between the EU and Russia?”

Protesters on the streets of Budapest, (c) AFP

The protesters in a single voice told Reuters that they won't bow down to West. "We won't be a dominion, we don't want to be a colony," news magazine editor Andras Bencsik told the crowd. "This is our message to those abroad. "The other is we fully support Viktor Orban, and we are proud of what we achieved at the 2010 elections."

"They have shown the political left that the street does not belong to them," Politics analyst Zoltan Kiszelly told Reuters. "And they have sent a message to the government's partners abroad to stop trying to tell us what to do, the government is doing fine."

"The way the Italian or the Greek governments were removed will not work in Hungary, and early elections are out of the question with this kind of public support."

The common people of Hungary are enraged with the behaviour of leaders of EU against their prime minister. "This is no way to negotiate, this is no attitude to any country."


Also Read: Anti government protests in Romania against Health Reforms and EU
                     Protests in Croatia against joining EU

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