Russia hails Hizbullah’s contribution

Crescent International

Jumada' al-Akhirah 17, 1434 2013-04-28

Daily News Analysis

by Crescent International

Russia acknowledges Hizbullah's strategic influence in the Middle East.

Beirut,

April 28, 2013, 09:30 EST

Unlike western regimes, the Russian government does not have an axe to grind against the Lebanese resistance movement Hizbullah. In a meeting Friday with Mohammad Raad, head of Hizbullah’s parliamentary bloc in Lebanon, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Bogdanov hailed the contribution of the resistance group and said Moscow will cooperate with it.

“We cooperate with Hizbullah and respect the Lebanese people’s will… this party, which has proved its credibility [over the course of its existence at the resistance as well as political levels] must [have its opinion] respected.” Bogdanov was in Beirut during which he also delivered a letter of support from Russian President Vladimir Putin to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman. In his letter, Putin praised the efforts made by President Suleiman to maintain stability in Lebanon and expressed support for his efforts to promote dialogue among various political parties. Hizbullah is a major part of the political set up in Lebanon.

Russia’s open embrace of Hizbullah will no doubt irk western rulers but such rulers have never followed any principles in their political dealings. Narrowly defined political and economic interests define their policies and have little to do with principles notwithstanding their loud rhetoric. This is most clearly evident in the west’s support for such dictatorial regimes as those in Saudi Arabia as well as the racist Zionist regime in occupied Palestine. The west’s hypocrisy has also been exposed in its rush to embrace the brutal regime in Myanmar despite its support for genocide of the Rohingya Muslims.

Bogdanov also spoke in support of regional and international efforts to help find a political solution to the foreign instigated turmoil in Syria. Russia has categorically rejected any foreign military intervention in the country. Moscow also reacted angrily to US attempts to use the allegation of use of chemical weapons to justify direct military intervention in Syria. It has not been established who used such chemical weapons although the Syrian government has repeatedly called for an independent international investigation to determine responsibility. So far, this offer has not been taken up seriously.

This has led to speculation that western-backed Syrian rebels and mercenaries used chemical weapons to instigate a US attack on Syria. President Barack Obama had called their use a “red line”. The Zionist regime has also been pushing for US attack on Syria. Russia, however, has taken a principled position against any such attack. Damascus also categorically rejected British and French allegations of its use of chemical weapons calling them “barefaced lies.”

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