RUSSIA: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is using support for Syria and refusal of Western sanctions there to capitalise on anti-American sentiment in Russian society and bolster his presidential campaign, analyst says

Record ID: 280531

  • Title: RUSSIA: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is using support for Syria and refusal of Western sanctions there to capitalise on anti-American sentiment in Russian society and bolster his presidential campaign, analyst says
  • Date: 31st January 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JANUARY 30, 2012) (REUTERS) TVERSKAYA STREET IN CENTRAL MOSCOW ENTRANCE TO CARNEGIE MOSCOW CENTRE MOSCOW CARNEGIE CENTRE OFFICE WALL VARIOUS CARNEGIE CENTRE BOOKLETS VARIOUS CARNEGIE MOSCOW CENTRE POLITICAL ANALYST MARIA LIPMAN WORKING AT COMPUTER BOOKS ON TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CARNEGIE MOSCOW CENTRE POLITICAL ANALYST MARIA LIPMAN, SAYING: "T
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAC28F4497AIQRIR9CQQJFY761
  • Story Text: Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime is an attempt by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to capitalise on anti-American sentiment during his presidential campaign, a political analyst in Moscow told Reuters on Monday (January 30) Russia has repeatedly resisted Western efforts to sanction Syria and has instead offered its own resolution. Moscow, a permanent United Nations Security Council member with veto powers, has also offered to host talks between the opposition and Assad in an effort to end bloodshed since protests began 10 months ago.
    Carnegie Moscow Centre political analyst Maria Lipman said that Russia has a number of reasons to support Syria, not the least of which is the countries' shared financial ties.
    "There is a reason (that Russia supports Syria) connected with the fact that Syria is a partner of Russia - a trade partner - and Syria and Russia are connected by serious deals in arms trade. Russia delivers arms to Syria," Lipman said, adding that a loss of Russia and Syria's partnership would be negatively perceived by the Russian electorate at a time when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is seeking to regain the presidency he left in 2008.
    "In Russia, there's an election campaign going on. This time, the position of Vladimir Putin is weaker than any other time he has participated personally in an election campaign. He's conducting this campaign personally. And the anti-American mood that exists in Russian society - that's a mood that he simply doesn't ignore, but he has played it up for the whole duration of his leadership," Lipman said.
    There is also a more practical element to Russia's position on Syria, according to Lipman.
    "I think that the position on Syria is, nevertheless, connected to the fact that the Russian leadership is not sure that steps and measures undertaken by Western countries and which the Arab League joins, will stop the development that's put them on the path to instability. The ways they have proposed are absolutely not guaranteed to be successful. So, instability is possible - it's dangerous to Russia among others. And I think that recognising it strengthens Russia's position to not join the (UN) resolution which has been proposed," Lipman said.
    Russia has announced that Syrian authorities have agreed to talks, but Syrian opposition leaders have told Reuters they had not received an invitation and would not participate in any dialogue with Assad.
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