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In the wake of U.S. bombing, Syria asks Russia to join their new Economic Zone
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As the U.S. continues to fund Syrian rebels, and instigate bombing raids under the auspices of battling ISIS, on Oct. 24 the Syrian government reached over to their economic and military partner Russia to apply to join the new Eurasian Economic Zone, and move more solidly into the Eastern camp for trade and future energy agreements.
The Eurasian Economic Union, or trade zone, was established in May of this year with the intent of creating a new free trade union where nations could come together and conduct economic transactions and agreements without the need to go through the dollar, or other fee based platforms like SWIFT. Additionally, the new economic union will one of the many free trade zones created along the new Silk Road highway that is currently under construction, and is expected to run from Pusan, South Korea all the way across Central Asia and into Great Britain.
Syria is expected to play an important role as a partner in the Eurasian Economic Zone, as their global position away from Saudi Arabia will be an important key in Russia's providing energy flow to Europe through pipeline agreements already in place, that are simply awaiting an end to the ongoing civil war to complete.
Syria this month applied for the creation of a free trade zone with Russia, Deputy Economic Development Minister Alexei Likhachyov told news agency TASS on Friday.Russia has strong ties with Syria and its President Bashar Assad, who Russian President Vladimir Putin stood by even as the West moved to punish the regime for its bloody crackdown on a popular uprising in early 2011, which spiraled into the ongoing Civil War in the country.High level delegations from the two countries met on Thursday night in Sochi. Before the meeting, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Syria would request a $1 billion loan from Moscow.The two countries had begun negotiations on the creation of a free trade zone before, but the beginning of the conflict in the region put the talks on hold, Likhachyov said. - Moscow Times
The ongoing conflict within Syria is probably the most visible evidence of the economic proxy war taking place between Russia and the United States, with the outcome deciding the future of oil control in the Middle East. Russian President Vladimir Putin was able to force the U.S. out of Syria back in September of 2013, but the rise of ISIS has given Washington a justification to go back in and fund and arm the Al Qaeda backed rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashir Assad.
With Russia already busy dealing with the ongoing Civil War in Ukraine, it is likely that any assistance coming from the Eurasian power to Syria will be in the form of arms and foreign aid. But not withstanding, Russia is fully capable of intervening militarily if necessary to protect their naval base at Tartus, and their goal of an oil pipeline across the country.
Like just before the Great War 100 yeas ago, the world is quickly moving towards formalized alliances to protect themselves from stronger nations, and to aid their development in a changing financial environment. And with Syria becoming the fourth nation to join in the Eurasian Economic Union, it will not be long before Iran and other Central and Eastern Asian countries do likewise, and form a powerful trade cabal that will have serious financial repercussions to the dollar and to the West.
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