Re: Russia-China: Putin's next term

["Chris Doss" <nomorebounces@xxxxxxx>]

The strategic relationship with China idea goes back to the 1998 Primakov Doctrine put forward during the reign of Boris the Drunk, but has really developed under Putin as part of 1) the Shanghai Six group providing collective security in Central Asia and 2) the trilateral relationship between Russia, China and India, which is in part directed against the US.

Really, Putin has managed to become allies with everyone and enemies with no one largely by using one of Russia's built-in advantages (and defects): size. Russia is the one country that borders every center of world power. China needs Russia for energy and natural resources; the EU needs Russia for the same reason; the United States needs it to supply stability in Central Asia (though there's been a lot of what I consider pretty knee-jerk talk about the US "thrusting Russia out of the 'stans" and whatnot, in fact US and Russian activities there have been closely coordinated; the Kant base was opened not because the Kremlin is worried about US troops being Kyrgyzstan, but because it is worried that there are not enough. Actually if the US sent troops to guard the Tajik-Afghan border and relieve the Russian troops there, the Kremlin would probably applaud, not to mention the troops.).

-----Original Message-----
From: joanna bujes <jbujes@xxxxxxxxx>
To: PEN-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 20:21:49 -0800
Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Russia-China: Putin's next term

>
> Say what you will, Putin is a smart guy.
>
> Joanna
>
> Eubulides wrote:
>
> > http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/FC12Ag01.html
> >Putin to expand strategic partnership with China
> >By Sergei Blagov
> >Mar 12, 2004
> >
> >
> >
>