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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| R.I.P. C.I.S.? |
| 2005-03-15 |
| Many observers in Russia and abroad believe that recent events in Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova have rung the death knell for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the fragile association that rose up in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union ... Council for Foreign and Defense Policy Chairman Sergei Karaganov [said] that the CIS has essentially fulfilled its function |
| Posted by:Rex Rufus |
| #10 rjschwartz> Russia is too big and its territory extends too far away from the others' to make a member-state on an equal level with the others. Even perfectly democratic it'd be an imbalance, constantly teetering between seeking either dominance or independence. De facto, it can't be the equal of any one other nation in the EU. It'd have decisive power that a whole set of other member-states would need to constantly counterbalance lest it grow too much. And ofcourse currently Russia is the primary military threat to its neighbouring countries like Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and so forth -- so having Europe becoming militarily dependent on Russia doesn't seem a solution, but a suicide pact instead. In short those assets and unique qualities you underlined about Russia end up being precisely the reason why it shouldn't be made one of the EU club. Concentrated in one region, facing approximately the same set of problems, each having multiple neighbours in common -- the current EU membership makes sense, and so does extending it to cover the Balkans and Ukraine -- and even Turkey or Caucasus isn't utterly out of the question... but Russia? That's taking my reluctance about Turkey and quadrupling it. *Even* with a democratic Russia. And as long as Russia is undemocratic and imperialistic, the Eurasian attitude is not just dangerous for the EU, but for the whole world I think. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2005-03-15 5:52:30 PM |
| #9 You are probably right Aris, but that doesn't change the fact that the combination of the Red Army and the British Navy would certainly dependence the EU has on the US for their defense. It would also provide Europe with better access to Russian raw materials and a land-connections to the Pacific rim which many economists feel will be the economic center of this century. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2005-03-15 5:23:10 PM |
| #8 Russia and company should all petition to join the EU. And any European nation still having its wits about it, should reply "No" to Russia. Out of 25 nations, a couple of them will still be intelligent enough to do so, primarily from the former communist bloc. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2005-03-15 2:51:45 PM |
| #7 ....the CIS has essentially fulfilled its function.... Declare victory and retreat. |
| Posted by: GK 2005-03-15 2:08:32 PM |
| #6 I gotta get glasses - I thought they were talking about the CBS show getting cancelled.... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-03-15 1:13:41 PM |
| #5 Many observers in Russia and abroad believe that recent events in Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova have rung the death knell for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),.. Time to taste some real independence, no? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-03-15 12:37:33 PM |
| #4 Russia and company should all petition to join the EU. Russia could be a player in the EU if they played their cards right. European civilization and sophistication could use a little Russian backbone. Russia's third world inclinations could use a bit of that European civilization and sophistication. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2005-03-15 11:59:04 AM |
| #3 SPAY - Society of Putin's Affiable Yes-men PICK - Putin's Ignorant Condescening Kruddies NOPE - No Others - Putin Everywhere POPE - Putin Only Poisons Enemies SLAP - Stop Lousy Antagonists of Putin Anyone else for acronyms? |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-03-15 11:21:17 AM |
| #2 Belkovskii dubbed this alliance the USSR, an acronym from the Russian words for "Commonwealth of Countries Allied to Russia." USSR. They decided to wait until Reagan's death to rebuild it, then? |
| Posted by: Steve from Relto 2005-03-15 9:52:26 AM |
| #1 Phew...I thought you meant Customer Information Systems. Figured I was screwed. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2005-03-15 9:31:03 AM |