Published by The JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION
In This Issue:
Volume 4, Number 175 - MOSCOW HINTS AT ITS NUISANCE VALUE TO ALLIED OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN
- RUSSIAN SECURITY SERVICES KILL DAGESTANI REBEL LEADER
- GROWING RUSSO-TURKISH ECONOMIC TIES OVERSHADOW POLITICAL DIFFERENCES
- OIL POOR, WATER RICH TAJIKISTAN AND KYRGYZSTAN DRAW CLOSER TOGETHER
Other Jamestown Publications: MOSCOW HINTS AT ITS NUISANCE VALUE TO ALLIED OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN By Vladimir Socor Friday, September 21, 2007
Moscow’s abstention in the Security Council has no significant consequences on the practical level. Symbolically, however, it hits at what the United States and NATO define as a core interest and top operational priority. Politically, it signifies yet another warning that Russia is prepared to challenge U.S. and NATO interests and hinder their policies almost anywhere in Eurasia to the maximum feasible extent.
Thus, obstructionism in Afghanistan is only the latest in the series of recent Russian moves against anti-missile defense in Europe, the Treaty on Conventional Forces, conflict resolution in Kosovo (where Russia opposes what it calls “a NATO state”), U.S. military installations in Romania and Bulgaria, sovereignty and integrity of Georgia and Moldova, and other geopolitical issues, all amid the challenge to Western energy interests and energy security. By stepping up the obstructions or pressures and multiplying the disputed points, Moscow seeks to extract concessions on some issues in return for relenting on other disputes that it has itself created.
Russia was the only country that did not support the Security Council’s resolution to prolong ISAF’s mandate by another year. As a pretext for its abstention, Moscow raised questions about the ongoing Japanese naval operation in the Indian Ocean. The Russians objected to the draft resolution that linked Japan’s naval operation with the ISAF and Enduring Freedom ground operations in Afghanistan.
The Japanese operation is designed to supply allied forces in Afghanistan, via the Indian Ocean and Pakistan, with fuel and other critical materiel. It is also intended to intercept and board vessels suspected of carrying arms or reinforcements destined for terror groups that operate in Pakistan-Afghanistan border areas. Russia asked for a voice in defining the parameters of the Japanese naval operations. Furthermore, Moscow objected to the resolution’s wording that commended Japan for its role.
The naval operation is highly controversial in Japan. It became one of the factors behind prime minister Shinzo Abe’s resignation earlier this month, following the opposition’s victory in the Senate elections. Opposition parties call for termination of this naval operation while the governing Liberal-Democratic Party wants to continue it and has welcomed the Security Council’s resolution for praising this Japanese contribution to anti-terror efforts.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin objected to what he described as improper interference in Japan’s internal affairs through this resolution. Churkin argued almost explicitly that the resolution’s wording would help the government and hinder the opposition in the Japanese political debate over the naval operation. Thus, Moscow evidenced an interest in curbing Japan’s emergent role in international security in Asia, even on the anti-terror front in this case. With this move, Russia seems to be positioning itself more broadly against NATO’s intentions to develop closer links with countries like Australia and Japan for enhancing security in the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Also on September 20, the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) proposed assuming a political and security role in Afghanistan. Citing an urgent need to stabilize the country and the region, CSTO General Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha offered the organization’s assistance to train Afghan military and security personnel, combat drug trafficking, coordinate economic aid projects by Central Asian countries through the CSTO in Afghanistan, and help “normalize” the political situation there through legislative assistance.
Moscow is airing this set of proposals through the CSTO, so as to make it look “multilateral” and regional, rather than Russian. The goal is to re-introduce Russian political and security influence in Afghanistan through means short of a military presence. Moscow could not fail to see opportunity in the recent setbacks and dysfunctionalities of NATO and U.S. operations there. It seeks to capitalize on this situation for re-entry in Afghanistan, primarily through soft-power instruments, for a strategic payoff that eludes the hard-power wielding Western forces.
Bordyuzha was addressing a two-day meeting in Bishkek of the Security Council Secretaries of CSTO member countries (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). At that session, Bordyuzha reaffirmed Russia’s position that U.S. access to the Manas air base is time-limited to the duration of operations in Afghanistan. Moreover, while Kyrgyzstan’s agreement with the United States on this issue is a matter for Bishkek to decide, nevertheless Kyrgyzstan is “actively consulting with its allies on this issue” -- a clear hint that Moscow retains the options to allow, disallow, or set conditions to the continuation of the basing arrangement in the future.
(Interfax, Itar-Tass, September 19, 20) Email this article to a friend
An ISAF humvee overlooks Khost, Afghanistan.
The United Nations Security Council has voted 14–0 to extend the mandate of the  (ISAF) in Afghanistan by another year.

The resolution says the Security Council agreed to, "extend the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force, as defined in resolutions 1386 (2001) and 1510 (2003), for a period of 12 months beyond October 13, 2007."

Although Russia has veto power on the Security Council, it abstained during the 14-0 vote on September 19th.  

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, , told ''RIA Novosti'' Russia abstained because of what he called, "the unexpected inclusion in the document of a sentence expressing appreciation to NATO ....  "including its maritime interdiction component." "

Part of Resolution 1776 (2007) reads, "Expressing its appreciation for the leadership provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and for the contributions of many nations to ISAF and to the OEF coalition, including its maritime interdiction component."

Media reports indicate this section of the resolution provides support to Japan in a domestic dispute in that country over refueling of U.S. and other ships in the Indian Ocean.  Japanese government spokesperson, Kaoru Yosano, told ''Reuters'' the resolution was welcome, adding, "It is very important that Japan's refueling activity was evaluated highly by the United Nations and members of the U.N. Security Council."

"A decision was made to give priority to domestic considerations of some members of the United Nations," Churkin told ''Agence France Presse''. "The unity of the Security Council has been sacrificed to undue haste."

Even before the Security Council vote, Japanese officials hoped the resolution would clear the way to extend a naval mission assisting U.S.-led Afghanistan military operations, showing support for Washington and averting a conflict in the Japanese in parliament as a new government begins its mandate there.

The leader of Japan's main opposition Democratic Party, Ichiro Ozawa, has opposed extending Japan's mission to refuel coalition ships in the Indian Ocean, in part because he says the activities lack a direct U.N. imprimatur.

Although expressing concerns about the resolution, and calling for future decisions on the issue to be made "by consensus", China supported the resolution.

The resolution extends the ISAF mission mandate under Chapter VII of the  until October 13, 2008.

Expressing its concern about all civilian casualties, the resolution, condemns "in the strongest terms all attacks, including Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, suicide attacks and abductions, targeting civilians and Afghan and international forces and their deleterious effect on the stabilization, reconstruction and development efforts in Afghanistan," as well as "the use by the Taliban and other extremist groups of civilians as human shields."

The resolution also calls for ISAF coalition members to, "sustain their efforts to train and empower the National Police and other Afghan forces."  

ISAF currently has approximately 39,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan.  Its mission, as stated on the ISAF web page, is to, "conduct military operations in the assigned area of operations to assist the Government of Afghanistan in the establishment and maintenance of a safe and secure environment with full engagement of Afghan National Security Forces, in order to extend government authority and influence, thereby facilitating Afghanistan's reconstruction and contributing to regional stability."