This article appears in the August 25, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
Moscow Conference Discusses Security for a Multi-Polar World Order
[Print version of this article]
Aug. 18—The 11th Moscow Conference on International Security convened at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in Kubinka, outside of Moscow, on Aug. 15, to discuss the central theme “Global Security Realities in a Multipolar World.” The proceedings of the day indicated that discussions are ongoing at the highest levels of government around the non-Western world as to what the shape of the world will be in the future. They made it clear that the Chinese-Russian view of “security” has developed a principled foundation for future country-to-country relations moving into a new era—a foundation which much of the rest of the world is interested in standing upon.
The contrast with the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania held one month earlier, couldn’t be clearer. Instead of developing a new order of relations among nations based on mutual respect, the NATO summit committed the alliance, along with its Asian partners, to the unconstrained military and financial support for the Kiev regime in Ukraine in what is in reality a NATO proxy war aimed at the “strategic defeat” of Russia. Anything less, including a peace settlement negotiated from any standpoint other than the capitulation of Russia, is rejected out of hand.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the conference was attended by 26 defense ministers and 16 deputy defense ministers and chiefs of general staffs from various countries, reported TASS. Delegations from 12 more countries were led by department chiefs, the rest—by ambassadors and military attaches accredited in Russia. The ministry added that the forum was also attended by 85 foreign non-governmental experts from 42 countries, including some from the West. Overall, the conference brought together over 800 delegates from 75 countries and 6 international organizations.
On the sidelines, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had bilateral meetings with his counterparts from China, Namibia, Mongolia, and Vietnam, while Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin also had meetings with defense or deputy defense ministers from Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Syria, Burundi, Venezuela, Guinea, Bolivia, Oman, and Uganda. India, though not apparently sending a delegation led by a high-level official to the conference, was represented at the Army 2023 Military-Technical Forum, which was running in the same premises, with a pavilion in the exhibit hall, which Shoigu had visited the day before.
All of this activity, especially so soon after the July 27-28 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, suggests that the repeated assertions from the Biden administration that Russia is “isolated” hold no water.
Putin Sets the Theme
Russian President Vladimir Putin set the tone of the conference to be Russia’s role in the transformation from the Anglo-American dominated unipolar order to one of a new, multi-polar world order that respects the sovereignty of every nation on the planet:
Today, having this open, honest, and unbiased conversation is essential and timely, since it is up to all of us, and the international community as a whole, to shape the future together, and on equal terms. We see a multipolar world order gradually take shape. Most countries are ready to assert their sovereignty and defend their national interests, traditions, culture, and way of life. New economic and political centers are consolidating their standing. All this provides a solid foundation for steady and sustainable development around the world, for achieving just and, importantly, real solutions to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges, improving the quality of life and wellbeing for millions of people.
At the same time, long-standing hotbeds of conflict are simmering in various parts of the world, and new ones are being provoked. There is no doubt that those behind these conflicts are seeking to benefit from human tragedy by pitching nations against one another, subjugating states into feudal obedience within a neo-colonial system and exploiting their resources without mercy.
Putin pointed out that it is the United States and its allies that are stoking all the conflicts and confrontations in the Sahara-Sahel region of Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and of course, Ukraine:
Let me reiterate that it is only by having the international community work together that we can lower the degree of confrontation on the global and regional levels, neutralize challenges and risks, and build confidence between states, while also creating broad development opportunities. This is rather obvious today.
We have always been and remain firm in our adherence to a multipolar world order based on the supremacy of norms and principles of international law, sovereignty and equality of states, constructive cooperation and trust.
Shoigu Elaborates in Keynote
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, in a keynote address, further elaborated on what Putin had stated, presenting the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine not as a war against the Kiev regime, but as a part of the process of shifting the world away from the unipolar world order dominated by the United States, and toward the multipolar order now coming into being:
The Special Military Operation ended the collective West’s military dominance. Its ability to impose its interests in various regions of the world has been significantly reduced. These changes have increased the role of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America in the world system, including the use of natural resources for the sovereign development of nations.
And Russia has a historical role to play in this process:
Just as in the last century the defeat of fascism in Europe by the Red Army gave a powerful impetus to the anti-colonial movement around the world, so today the defeat of the Western-backed Ukrainian neo-fascists will serve as a factor in countering modern neo-colonialism. Today, Russia is confronted not by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but by the entire collective West, which has recently been joined by individual states in the Asia-Pacific region.
History has once again given Russia the role of a locomotive in promoting the interests of the majority of independent states. The West, fearing a breakdown of the unipolar world and an open confrontation with a militarily strong adversary, provokes local conflicts around the world. The purpose of such policies is to weaken competitors, maintain control over resources, promote their own rules of life, and counteract the consolidation of dissenters.”
Your participation in the Moscow Conference has an important political dimension, proving the significant role of interaction between the military departments of friendly countries, especially in a complex international situation.
Shoigu concluded, addressing the audience in front of him:
Only together we can ensure stability and peace for our peoples.
China’s View of the World’s Transformation
As did his Russian hosts before him, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu also took note of the transformation now ongoing in the world.
The current world has entered a new round of instability and transformation. Against the background of colossal changes, President Xi Jinping put forward an initiative on global security, calling for supporting the concept of common, integrated, joint, and sustainable security, following the principles of dialogue, partnership, and mutual benefit, and abandoning the thinking of antagonistic and zero-sum block game.
Li went on to describe the “Concept Document of the Global Security Initiative” which “offers the ‘Chinese option’ to solve security problems in maintaining world peace.”
[The Chinese side] is ready to implement the Global Security Initiative with the countries of the world and bring more stability and positive force to the changing global situation.
[Firstly,] the Global Security Initiative reflects the attraction to world peace. [Secondly,] the Global Security Initiative reflects the hope for harmonious coexistence.” [And thirdly,] the Global Security Initiative reflects the aspiration for universal development. Poverty is a source of instability.
Security and development, being fundamental rights, are inherent in every country. They should not be the exclusive privileges of individual states. To restrain and suppress other countries—such actions not only do not comply with the laws of economic development, but also deplete the trust of the people.
[In this context,] The Chinese-Russian relations in the military sphere set an example of rejection of alliance, [rejection of] antagonism, and non-targeting of third countries. We are ready to strengthen military exchanges with the armed forces of the countries of the world, deepen military cooperation with the ASEAN countries and other neighboring countries, raise the level of military relations with European countries and the EU, as well as strengthen traditional friendship with the countries of Latin America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific region, etc., constantly expand the circle of friends based on equality, mutual trust, cooperation and mutual gain.
The old order will be replaced by a new, more just order.
Toward a New, More Just Order
Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), optimistically asserted:
The current crisis period will be replaced by the time of the triumph of a new, more just and democratic world order.
The best proof of that, Naryshkin said, was the Moscow conference
which has brought together representatives of truly sovereign countries, who are ready to resolutely defend national interests and identity in the face of a global liberal-totalitarian dictatorship.
My conviction in the triumph of multipolarity is based not only on the dedication of Russia and its like-minded people, but also on data on the deep crisis of the unipolar order, led by the United States.
Naryshkin identified the main problem of Washington as being—
its rapidly growing detachment from reality [where] the American elite has long lived in a rainbow world known to it alone, where the United States continues to rule the planet completely, and is an indisputable military, economic and spiritual authority and has the exclusive right to supervise and punish.
This has now turned into a
“hollow hegemony,” which stubbornly tries to force others to do what it does not believe in and does not correspond to at all.
After pointing out that, contrary to American geopolitics, the world is no longer unipolar, Naryshkin said:
The formation of a multipolar world order is especially noticeable in the Eurasian space. An important quality of such structures as the SCO, the EAEU, the CSTO and the CIS, which fundamentally distinguishes them from Western military-political and economic blocs, is non-targeting against third countries and aiming at the establishment of a just world order based on respect for sovereignty and international law.
Naryshkin identified the roles of organizations like the African Union, Community of Latin American and Caribbean Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement as critical to that process, concluding:
Such a structure as BRICS has great potential in terms of forming a fair and democratic architecture of international relations. I think it is no accident that this abbreviation in English is heard as the word “bricks.” These are, indeed, the bricks in the foundation of a truly free and equal world, and new “bricks” or poles will soon be added to them. The building of multi-polarity will grow and strengthen, protecting the rights of peoples to sovereignty and identity, developing the real economy. And no Beast in the world will be able to destroy this building.
There’s Still a Danger of World War
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of the danger of a direct military clash between Russia and NATO.
Today the United States and NATO as well as the European Union, for the sake of saving their own geopolitical project of containing Russia and splitting the Russian world, are pumping ever more sophisticated weapons into Ukraine, thus fueling the conflict and provoking uncontrolled spread [of weapons] around the world.
All of our sobering signals are being ignored or grossly distorted for propaganda purposes. Quite a few facts illustrating this have been presented. [The West] is irresponsibly and significantly increasing the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers.
The same aim is being pursued in other regions, where any dissent becomes a target for threats and blackmail with the aim to remove obstacles in the way of Washington’s hegemonic plans.
In his address to the conference, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin also warned of the danger of nuclear war that hangs over the world. Said Khrenin:
National and coalition strategic planning documents of Western states openly name their enemies. Today, these are Russia, China and allied states, which include the Republic of Belarus. We realize that such doctrinal attitudes are not born out in “an empty place.” Intensive military preparations are underway in the West. There’s a huge amount of money being invested in this. And it should be understood that in the capitalist world, no one will “freeze” their assets in weapons and a “bloated” army for nothing. Therefore, the conclusion is unambiguous: the possibility of a direct military clash with NATO in the future is becoming very obvious.
North Korea Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam, in remarks read out to the conference, charged that it is the United States that has brought Northeast Asia to the verge of nuclear war:
America, … since the beginning of this year, has deployed to South Korea huge strategic nuclear means, including a nuclear-powered submarine, a strategic bomber, and a nuclear aircraft carrier battlegroup and has conducted several largest joint military drills imitating a total war with us. These drills were unprecedented in terms of scale, intensity and duration.
Now, the question is not in whether a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula breaks out or not, the question is who, when and how unleashes it.
