How else to explain this game of charades in Moscow?
Russian analysts were skeptical of Moscow’s ability to persuade Hamas to revise a radical ideology it has held since the group formed in 1987. They predicted that the talks would lead nowhere.
“Hamas won’t listen to Russia because Moscow has no real levers of influence over them,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of the foreign policy magazine Russia in Global Affairs. “This is not the time of the Soviet Union, when we had real clout in the region.”
Oh, maybe it’s about money…
A Hamas representative, Osama Hamdan, told ITAR-Tass in Beirut that the movement is grateful for Russia’s political and moral support, “but it would welcome a discussion of possible economic cooperation too.”
[Russian editor] Lukyanov said Russia no longer provided significant aid, despite its oil wealth, and said only the United States had real influence in the Middle East.
“These talks won’t lead anywhere, but ultimately, the Americans may decide to get involved. And if Hamas is going to listen to anyone, it will be to them,” he said.
Putin didn’t meet with Hamas.
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5 Comments
1. waterdragon52:It’s always about money and guns. Putin wouldn’t be silly enough to meet with Hamas personally, but I trust him and his government as far as I can throw Ayatollah Khameini. When it comes to playing geopolitics, Putin is a good ole KGB boy through and through.
Mar 3, 2006 - 8:00 am 2. Cynic:“MOSCOW (AP) – Hamas’ political leader, on a groundbreaking visit to Russia, rejected on Friday any discussion about the militant group’s refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist, dealing a setback to Moscow’s efforts to persuade it to soften its stance.”
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060303/D8G438J83.html
If it were purely political Hamas could compromise but it is also religious, to the very depths of the Koran. After all these years Hamas cannot back away from that and more fool the Russians for thinking otherwise. RoP my foot.
Mar 3, 2006 - 9:04 am 3. Jamie Irons:Roger,
This statement, especially the second clause, is most interesting:
[Russian editor] Lukyanov said Russia no longer provided significant aid, despite its oil wealth, and said only the United States had real influence in the Middle East.
Really. Is that so? Things must be going better for us than one would think from reading The New York Times.
Or it may be the Russian editor is speaking ironically. Those Russians are tricky. And subtle.
Jamie Irons
Mar 3, 2006 - 9:17 am 4. Kevin Peters:Cynic:
No one has influence over Hamas. They are commited to the destruction of Israel and it is at the core of their structure. Arafat hated the Jews but since he was corrupt the chances of buying him off was always there. Hamas is composed of zealots, some well educated like some of the 9-11 bombers, but bent on their goal or death. Those naive fools in America and Europe who think that reason or self preservation will stop them from the completion of their dream of a Jew free Middle east are going to be “shocked, I tell you shocked” when they act out on their openly stated desire. They intend to do exactly what they say they are going to do. They mean what they say. Read their words. If you agree with what they write, support them. If you don’t stop deluding yourself into dreaming that there is a middle ground. They hate Jews. They won’t stop until all the Jews in the middle east are dead or out of the region. Every single one.
Mar 3, 2006 - 4:20 pm 5. Tony Hendra:roger
is it you – the friend of renee missel (ONCE UPON A TIME) that i met lo these many years?
just wondering, because if u r then i can start locuting wid ya.
bliss on yr cranium
th
Mar 5, 2006 - 5:32 pm