Days ago, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin aired his views on Russia and the world in a Moscow newspaper – and they have not gone unnoticed. For Algeria’s Le Quotidien d’Oran, one of the Maghreb’s leading columnists, K. Selim, writes that whether people in the West like it or not, Putin’s old-fashioned view of the world and Russian interests are as valid as ever.
For Le Quotidien d’Oran, K. Selim writes in part:
Within the long article written by Vladimir Putin which defines the foreign policy of Russia, he outlines another more “classical” vision for Iraq, Libya and respect for the rules of international law – which have all been challenged by Western strategy. Some might point out that Putin speaks as a man of the KGB, and they aren’t wrong, provided that they don’t forget: the services in the other camp also “talk,” and in a much more effective and far more devious way.
Westerners haven’t suddenly become champions of humanism in our region; they defend their positions and attempt to conquer others. Cynically, one could say they do so according to their interest alone. The issue of freedoms and rights – a cosmetic pretext – is totally secondary. Vladimir Putin expresses clearly that Russia has interests to defend. Even if the country was rolled on Libya, it doesn’t intend to fall for the same trick in Syria or elsewhere. Putin is above all defending his nation’s status as a respected nationalist and “anti-imperialist” power.
Some analysts have spoken, thanks to the Russia-China veto of U.N. plans to intervene in Syria, about a return to the Cold War. Viewed from Russia House – to borrow the title of the popular John Le Carré novel – this Cold War is fueled by the expansion of NATO and coupled with the desire to limit Russia’s influence in international affairs.
READ ON IN ENGLISH OR FRENCH AT WORLDMEETS.US, your most trusted translator and aggregator of foreign news and views about our nation.
Founder and Managing Editor of Worldmeets.US