critical point
| Date :26-Jun-2020 |
THE willingness of Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin to be open to dialogue on burning issues and also be ready to work for putting in place a reliable global security system much needed by the rapidly changing and complex world, may be listed as a critical point upon which the nations need to ponder over. Despite all the tall talk of avoiding military confrontations, particularly following the World War II and formation of the United Nations, the world has seen countless conflicts that have claimed cumulatively millions of lives and wastage precious resources that can never be reclaimed.
Yet, global lip service to peace has continued. Seen in that light, Mr. Putin’s statement at the Victory Day Parade in Moscow has its own importance. The world really needs a reliable common security system that would work to avoid uncalled confrontations between nations. The undulating arena of international realpolitik is a merciless place, unaffected by what India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar referred to as international ethos. No matter all the good talk of a good sense, many nations have indulged in confrontationist stances aimed at disturbing international harmony, beyond which they seem to achieve nothing concrete.
So brazen have some nations become in the past some decades that they do not mind insulting left-right-and-centre the principle of common goals of meaningful and respectful living that all welfare States must work for. No matter the failure of the United Nations to act as a no-nonsense peace-keeper of the world, the effort to work for peace must continue, which Mr. Putin has indicated. That task, however, is hardly easy. When nations harbour political ambitions that go far beyond their national boundaries, and when their definitions of national interest border on insanity, the world order gets disturbed. Dr. Jaishankar was referring exactly to that aspect when he talked of international ethos of togetherness. India has had the most consistent record on this count.
It has never harboured any ambition beyond its national borders, but has always acted as a partner in progress for many nations -- sans political goals. India has also believed firmly in creating a world order in which cooperation, collaboration, and common concerns form the foundation on which the nations must stand. This sublime thought, however, has often been disturbed by some of India’s neighbours. Such a situation is available elsewhere in the world as well, when many nations indulge in uncalled for busy-bee activities that seem to serve no specific purpose. Currently, the situation into which China has pushed India makes little sense from any angle even to Beijing.
Yet, with whatever goal it might have harboured, Beijing has chosen to create a confrontationist situation whose solution may not come easily. This Chinese stance has caused much concern worldwide, particularly when both -- India and China -- were cruising along in a happy neighbourhood banter for some time, no matter some irritations like Doka La face-off of 2017. The current Chinese action, however, appears to be different from whatever happened in 2017, causing concern everywhere.
The statement of Mr. Putin at the Moscow Parade as regards creating a reliable common global security system assumes much importance if considered in the light of some of the latest developments in international politics. Such lip service to peace apart, the hard reality of the world is that confrontations cannot be avoided so long as a few nations harbour uncouth ambitions. It is for such moments that other nations have to keep in good shape their military preparedness. This paradox of international ethos makes things far difficult that one can imagine.