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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 22, 2002

Why 'Axis of Evil' Has Become Sweet Cakes for Russia

Recently, the series of Russia's diplomatic moves have made the United States feel nervous and uneasy like prickles down its back. Major US media recently cried out in alarm: Why is Russia improving ties with those countries seen as a "thorn in flesh" by the United States?


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Recently, the series of Russia's diplomatic moves have made the United States feel nervous and uneasy like prickles down its back. After the Russian-US honeymoon period featuring Vladimir Putin's all-out efforts to enter into anti-terrorism cooperation with the United States since the occurrence of the "September 11" incident, Putin began to tease the United States, demonstrating his "true color as a strong man" in the international political stage. Major US media recently cried out in alarm: Why is Russia improving ties with those countries seen as a "thorn in flesh" by the United States?

America has begun to push its second-stage counter-terrorism strategy since February this year. The core of this strategy is to attack so-called terrorist countries, prevention and elimination of proliferation of weapons and technologies of mass destruction is listed as the main target in the anti-terrorism military actions after the war America waged in Afghanistan. However, recently, Russia has all along been improving relations with the countries labeled as "axis of evil" by the United States.

The United States and Russia reached an agreement on their new strategic relationship during George W Bush's visit to Moscow on May 23. However, the major difference existing between them was that America hoped Russia to terminate the latter's aid in constructing the Iranian nuclear power station, thinking doing so would help Iran develop nuclear weapons. Putin disagreed on the American censure, nor accepted Bush's demand. Putin indicated that in helping Iran build a nuclear power station, Russia would strictly abide by the international rule of peaceful use of nuclear energy. Thereafter, the United States kept on doing work on Russia, hoping to persuade Russia to accept US demand and withdraw from Iran's nuclear power station construction project.

At the end of July, Russia's Duma suddenly passed a resolution, approving Russia's plan to continue to build five new nuclear power stations for Iran in the coming decade. This move of Russia is, without doubt, tantamount to a formal rejection of US demand on Russia's cessation of peaceful nuclear energy cooperation with Iran. Whereas shortly before Russia's move, Russia and America held the third round of vice-ministerial-level anti-terrorism consultations. This makes Washington feel losing face.

Currently, the White House has time and again threatened that Bush has "made up his mind" to topple the Iraqi Sadam administration by military means. The launch of a war against Iraq not only means a test ground for the "pre-emptive strategy" put forward by the Republican government in July, but also is an important link in the long-term line of US anti-terrorism war. As early as March 2002, Russia had clearly expressed its opposition to America's use of force against Iraq. Under the circumstance of the Bush administration's "plan to overthrow Saddam" being subjected to frequent internal and external attacks, Bush was recently again given a "head-on blow" by Russia.

This is not the only case. Russia's Izvestia reported on August 16 that the Korean leader Kim Jong Il would pay a visit to the Far Eastern region of Russia next week to hold talks with President Putin in Haishenwei (Vladivostok). Russia's Far Eastern University would grant Kim Jong Il an honorary doctor's degree. Russia's move to improve relations with Iran, Iraq and Korea indicates that Russia not only disapproves, but also opposes the US current egoistic anti-terrorism strategy.

Russia's recent improvement of relations with countries declared as the "axis of evil" by the United States shows Russia has its own choice and advocacy on the anti-terrorism question. When the base line of Russia's national interests is touched upon, it is impossible for Russia to follow the United States. Even if cooperation on the anti-terrorism question is conducted between the United States and Russia, such cooperation has its limits.

Russia's nuclear energy cooperation with Iran involves a contract amount of US$2 billion. For the Putin administration which has taken upon itself the responsibility of revitalizing the economy, it is impossible for the United States to bring Russia around despite its worry about weapons and technologies of mass destruction which it aims to prevent. Furthermore, on the question of whether or not atomic energy is used peacefully, there are still the supervision by the International Atomic Energy Council and the examination by the Security Council. How can US worry about Iranian nuclear capability lead to the forfeit of Russia's contract worth US$2 billion? Currently, Russia is engaging in arduous negotiation on its membership of the OPEC, while Iran is an important member of OPEC. In addition, the close cooperation between Russia and Iran not only can help strengthen cooperation on the question of the exploitation and export of oil, particularly oil in the Caspian Sea, which is of major significance to stabilizing the Transcaucasus region of vital importance to Russia's interests.

Although Iraq has become universally isolated in the international community since the Gulf war, Russia, however, has all along maintained close economic and trade ties with Iraq. According to estimate by Western media, the annual amount of Iraqi oil "smuggled" by Russian companies is worth nearlyUS$5 billion. Furthermore, Iraq had good cooperative relations with the former Soviet Union. Many of Iraqi industrial facilities were built with assistance from the former Soviet Union. At present, Iraq again presents a formidable "cake" worth US$40 billion to Russia, including therein renewal of the industrial projects left behind by the former Soviet Union. Of course, Russia will not cast them away, instead it will open its arms to hug them. It must be aware that a sum of US$40 billion is equivalent to 10 percent of Russia's current annual GDP. Once this cooperation agreement is signed, no one knows how many Russian people would grin from ear to ear, President Putin's personal political prestige will even continue to rise. Then, how is it possible for Russia to tie itself up to the "chariot" of the US new anti-terrorism war?

The new actions taken by Russia recently on the question of Iraq, Iran and Korea actually have not much difference from the statement on new Russian-US strategic relations and the "Rome Declaration" Russia signed in May. On the whole, they both reflect the major adjustment of Russia's new international strategy President Putin has made since 2001, it is also a vivid expression of Russia's current policies which stress that everything is centered on national interests.

Since Bush took office in 2001, Putin has given up competition with the United States on an equal footing on the issues of missile defense system and anti-ballistic missile treaty, instead, it has turned around to the new strategy with emphasis placed on the strategic arc that everything aims to develop the national economy and stabilize the surrounding areas. The United States aims exactly to concoct the "axis of evil" and launch a war against Iraq to mess up the situation, Putin, of course, will not be reconciled to this. Uniting forces that can be united with to contain America's hegemonic pursuits in international affairs is still the basic starting point in Putin's diplomatic strategy.

If the new economic cooperation agreement to be signed by Russia and Iraq in early September will deal a heavy blow to the United States in its pursuit of possible international support for launching a war against Iraq, and in the "cat catching mouse" game being played by the United States and Iraq over the question of war or peace, the international diplomatic balance may turn in favor of Iraq.

At present, the Russian-Iraqi agreement is still in the process of being deliberated by the Russian government, Iraqi ambassador to Moscow hastily declared this news on August 17, he did so in order to expand Iraq's anti-American momentum, and woo Russia to stand more firmly on Iraq's side and apply pressure on the United States, trying to avoid large-scale US military attacks. On the same day, the Iraqi ambassador indicated he disbelieved that Russia would submit to US pressure and standby with folded arms on the question of US use of force against Iraq, because Iraq is Russia's trustworthy partner in the Middle East region.

If Russia really decides to sign this agreement with Baghdad in early September, then, this will mean that Russia's opposition to US "down with Saddam" by military force will not be confined to words, but rather will be elevated into action. Undoubtedly, this will cause America's diplomatic cost of "overthrowing Saddam" to rise accordingly.

The article is carried on China Youth Daily and edited by People's Daily Online


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