Black Sea Conflict Must Be Prevented
Dr. Ravindra Kumar (India, 13/11/08)
A recent three-day visit by a U.S. Navy warship to the Georgian port of Poti has angered Russia, which has criticized U.S. naval operations in Georgia’s Black Sea waters.
The docking of USS Barry at Poti on 18th October 2008 drew sharp reaction from Russian authorities, who said that sending sophisticated warships to Georgia could contravene international conventions and that the U.S. warship was unsuited for aid missions. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said the ship was not delivering humanitarian aid.
Russia had complained earlier when U.S. warships did deliver aid to Georgia after it went into a brief war with Russia in August. Russia had sent troops into Georgia on Aug. 8 to counter a Georgian military attempt to retake the Moscow-backed rebel region of South Ossetia.
For centuries the Black Sea region has been important, not only as a prime channel of transportation but also for its strategic proximity to oil-rich regions like the Caucasus, Tatarstan and Bashkorostan. Further, the region opens a path for a potential rival to threaten Russia.
The Black Sea region has been the site of several conflicts in the past as various parties have tried to control the region. The Crimean and Russo-Turkish Wars in the 19th century and the Allied Dardanelles Campaign against Turkey during World War I are a few examples.
During the Cold War the region was under Soviet supremacy, as most of the adjacent countries were part of the Soviet Union and members of the Warsaw Pact. This situation remained largely unchanged till the fall of the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union two years later, its 70-year reign in the Black Sea region ended.
The Danube River – which starts in Germany and flows through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania before it empties into the Black Sea – became a key regional transportation route, as it is considerably less expensive to traverse compared to other routes and ports in the Baltic Sea.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of its former partners declared independence, emerged as sovereign states and turned to democratic systems of governance. Other Eastern European nations like Romania, Poland and Bulgaria also adopted democracy and joined the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The new situation gave control of the Black Sea region to countries like Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, all NATO members. It also offered the United States a golden opportunity to play a role in the region.
For the United States, control of the Black Sea would be essential if it had to take land-based action against Russia, because the Carpathian and Caucasus mountains hinder any other route. That is why in recent years the United States has made efforts to gain supremacy in the region, and has allegedly transported weapons to the region under the guise of delivering aid. Russia is therefore highly sensitive to any U.S. movements in the region.
Observers say that Russia is also attempting to maintain its position in this area. Russia’s recent war with Georgia to control the naval base of Poti and Russia’s support for South Ossetian and Abkhazian bids for independence from Georgia are proof of its advances in the region.
NATO warships entered the Black Sea on Aug. 21, followed by the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS McFaul, purportedly for long-planned exercises and routine visits to ports in Romania and Bulgaria. Still, this represented a confrontation to Russia. Nervous and worried, Russian Navy ships moved into the Black Sea for a closer look. The situation grew serious when on Aug. 27 the U.S.-led NATO and Russian warships took up hostile positions.
Although there was no direct confrontation between these sparring nations in the Black Sea, the series of events raises serious concerns and ignites memories of the Cold War.
The world long lived under the shadow of the Cold War, fearing a deadly nuclear confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Every effort should be made to avoid a similar situation. Nations involved in the current Black Sea imbroglio should realize that such a Cold War stance will serve no useful purpose.
Today, the world is moving toward a new dimension of unprecedented awakening, development and cooperation in light of globalization. Gone are the days when one country can seek geographical superiority. In a globalized world, no country can progress in isolation, irrespective of its economic, political and social might. Today, countries are so interdependent that cooperation is imperative and indispensible if a country is to survive and progress.
China and India in recent years are playing a vital role in the world's development. Despite many complicated situations, they have shown maturity in dealing with disputes with an attitude of patience and commitment to problem-solving.
Moreover, both countries have good relations with almost all parties directly or indirectly involved in the current Black Sea conflict. Perhaps it is time for these two countries to play the role of peacemaker in a region where their own interests are not directly involved. If both want to be global players, it is important that they step forward and use their influence to help resolve conflicts and negotiate peace.
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