Only days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's historic trip to Israel and Palestine, US Vice-President Dick Cheney and Russian Foreign Minister Serge Lavrov have also come to visit the Middle East region.
US Vice-President Dick Cheney met and held talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank City of Ramallah on Sunday or March 23 and, a day earlier, Cheney met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel was the fifth leg of Cheney's Middle East trip, which had also taken him to Iraq, Oman, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia before heading to Turkey. In another development, Russian Foreign Minister Serge Lavrov arrived in Syria last Wednesday or March 19 before his tour of Palestine and Israel.
Why German, the U.S. and Russian political figures have flocked to the Middle East region on the heels of one after another? This evolves mainly a political background. First of all, it is currently an eventual period of times in the Middle East region. The Iraq war, which broke out five years ago, has altered the former political environment of the country, but terroriam remained there.
Second, a shadow of tragedy has loomed over the Palestine-Israel talks because of the "Operation Hot Winter" launched by Israel, the Jewish settlements built, missiles launched by Palestinian radicals, and the thwarting of follow-up actions of the International Middle East Conference held in Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. on November 27, 2007. Thirdly, the Arab League Summit is expected to convene shortly, and it will likely provide a pivot opportunity for big powers to wield their influences.
Angela Merkel's visit is especially intriguing, as she had become the first German chancellor to address the Israeli parliament. She told Israel of Germany's "holocaust shame," and asserted its support for the Jewish state during an unprecedented speech to the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) on March 18, or last Tuesday. She underlined Israel's security question and Germany's historical responsibility towards it, which represent part of the basic German (foreign) policies. Germany attempts to play its due role in the Middle East affairs by means of taking up more moral obligations to Israel, but Merkel's move, however, has drawn dissatisfaction from some Arab media.
US Vice-President Cheney temporarily added his visit to Iraq and Afghanistan to his itinerary for the aim of eunciating or explaining away the U.S. invasion of Iraq, drumming up support for the stability promotion in Afghanistan while trying hard to weaken and curb Iran's influence in the region.
Particularly President Mohamould Ahmadinejad's "high-sounding" visit to Iraq, in early March, made Iran's impact conspicuous, and enabled the nation to gain more points in its face-off with the U.S. And Cheney's visit to Iraq and the Gulf region posed a response or challenge to Iran. While in Oman, he went fishing in the waters between Oman and Iran last Wednesday to display prowess to the opponent. Moreover, Cheney openly urged Arab nations to forge the all-round diplomatic ties with Iraq in a bid to jointly weaken Iran's impact in Iraq and in the region as a whole.
Furthermore, Cheney cited the U.S. commitment to the Israeli security as permanent and unshakable. He held that the Hamas' missile attacks have posed a very great threat to Israel so it has the right for self-defense. He also appealed for imposing punitive measures against Hamas. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Serge Lavrov voiced the hope that Russia will step up consultations and coordination with Syria, that Israel will halt the construction of Jewish settlements and lift blockades against the Palestine. And Russian would extend its involvement in the Middle East affairs to challenge the U.S.' leading and hegemonic positions in the region.
Moreover, Lavrov proposed during his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to sponsor an international meeting on the Middle East in Moscow later in the year to advance the peace process, and this proposal has won an enthusiastic response and support from Abbas, who said he hoped that Russia will host such a meeting as quickly as possible, but Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected Lovrov's proposals, for he held that there was no reason to call such an international meeting on the Middle East once again. Opinions indicate that Israel's rejection has obtained the approval or tactic consent of the U.S.
Nevertheless, an Israeli war ministry spokesman said Israel has agreed to let Russia deliver 25 armored vehicles to Palestine security forces in the West Bank. Hence, it seems that both sides have common interests on the issue of backing up Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
By People's Daily Online and the aushor is Huang Peizhao, PD resident reporter in Egypt
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article