China and Russia had different opinions this time.
On November 6 local time, the UN Security Council voted to pass a resolution that lifted sanctions against Syria's current leader al-Jolani and the minister of the interior.
This time, Russia clearly cast a vote in favor. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Nebinja said: "We hope that today's resolution will help achieve the initial goal announced - promoting economic recovery and development in Syria during this difficult but crucial transition period for Damascus."
While China changed from a veto to a abstention. Ambassador Fu Cong pointed out during the vote that although the new Syrian government has made commitments to reform, it has not fulfilled them sufficiently, and lifting the sanctions hastily may amplify security risks. After changing to an abstention, China still retained the review mechanism, reflecting a gradual support approach.
Does this divergence of views between China and Russia mean that there is a rift between the two countries?
For China, the previous opposition was because the current Syrian regime has incorporated the "East Turkestan" organization, which everyone knows what kind of organization it is. Such forces, if the sanctions are quickly and permanently lifted, would be a threat to us and our "investments" in the Middle East. This time, the US-led draft changed from "permanent removal" to "conditional review," and we changed from opposing to abstaining.
For Russia, maintaining its military presence in the Middle East is a priority. After Assad's fall, Russia needs to quickly rebuild relations with the new regime to avoid being marginalized by the US and Europe. Supporting the lifting of sanctions helps Russia play an economic role in the reconstruction of Syria. Especially during the Ukraine conflict, Russia has become more pragmatic in diplomacy.
The "decisions" made by China and Russia this time are based on their own positions, but they will not affect the overall cooperation between the two countries. On the contrary, it precisely reflects the strategic autonomy of both countries, and not all matters need to be tied together. This is the normal relationship between countries!
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848089128895499/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.