Aleksey Malashenko: ‘Now Erdoğan is just a winner. People supported him, not the Army’
Aleksey Malashenko tells about the conflict in the post-Soviet space that has been frequent, Russian benefit from the Turkish putsch and Islamist Gülen
Several armoured conflicts have taken place in the post-Soviet space after the Turkish crisis in recent days. In Yerevan, militants attacked the police office. In Alma Ata, there was a series of shootings between police officers. There was a shooting in the Tbilisi Ministry of Justice. Realnoe Vremya talked to a famous political expert and Oriental researcher Aleksey Malashenko and asked him to find out whether these links belong to one chain.
'Some forces are taking their revenge on power'
A strange series of conflicts has burst out near Russia – in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Georgia. Mr Moloshenko, is it purely coincidental?
Conflicts in Russia have been taking place since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It is silly to look for some deep meanings in this sense. The conflict in Georgia is different from the conflict in Kazakhstan as well as squirrel differs from birch. They are not connected. The only thing that can be added here is that the dissolution of the Soviet Union was very fast. Everybody thought there would be a civil war but it turned into a series of conflicts. If you look at the map, conflicts took place everywhere. I cannot even name the countries that hadn't them. But today's conflicts have absolutely different roots, the problems are completely different. The only thing that unites them is that they are artificial – some forces are taking their revenge on power: they can by Islamists, nationalists, whoever can do it. However, I know there are some idiots who are trying to seek for conspiracy here. It is a rubbish! Every region has certain reasons. By the way, we still have no idea of what happened in Kazakhstan near this Nikolsky Market. I've been many times in Alma Ata. But it is unclear what is happening there. As for Armenia, guys wanted to take their revenge on something, I don't know the reason. Let federal programmes search for deep provocations and intrigues of imperialism. They know how to do it, they are smart to do it, nothing else.
'Indeed, Georgia is going through difficult political processes that take place according to the constitution, and sometimes not. It should be so. When there are authoritarians who want to rule, the reaction looks the following way.' Photo: romsat.ge (Ministry of Justice of Georgia)
In Georgia, the Ministry of Justice was almost attacked. What was it?
So what? Indeed, Georgia is going through difficult political processes that are taking place according to the constitution, and sometimes not. It should be so. When there are authoritarians who want to rule, the reaction looks the following way. Understand, these are normal processes connected between politics and society. One can like or dislike it, make something up about this topic, but it is what we have. The American imperialism can't organise it, they are up to the neck in problems.
Some people state about a fiery zone around Russia…
Idiots tell it, you can tell them. I'm ready to endorse this expression.
'If I knew where conflicts could arise, I would work in the Federal Security Service or Putin's senior adviser'
Where is a difficult situation in the post-Soviet space? Where can a conflict break out?
If I knew where conflicts could arise, I would work in the Federal Security Service or Putin's senior adviser. I think it can be wherever. Just name me a country. Kazakhstan – a power transition. Uzbekistan – a power transition. Tajikistan – it is unknown what's happening there, they have a pile of problems too. Belarus – Lukashenko is going to Europe. The problem with Moldova has not been solved. Ukraine – you see it yourself. Everywhere! The question is why it happens near Russia but not around Finland? It is an interesting question.
It means you think the problem is in Russia?
Russia is a big country, has many borders and many problems. The echo of Russian problems falls on its borderland.
'As for the Americans and Gülen , forgive me, but he is an Islamist. He is living in Pennsylvania. He immediately denied that he's the provocateur. And Americans don't need these events.' Photo: cnnturk.com
'Americans have nothing to do with it'
We would like to know about the Turkish crisis. Is a real putsch, a faked coup or somebody's provocation that happened overnight into Saturday?
It was a real putsch. 6,000 people are not arrested after a faked coup. It was a real attempt but the unsuccessful one. The guys should have thought earlier. They failed.
Who could organise it – the Army, the opposition, Fethullah Gülen's followers or other countries?
The Army only. Gülen has nothing to do with it. He doesn't need it, it just bothers him.
Erdoğan accused the USA of the preparation of the conflict. How can it hurt Turkey?
Now Erdoğan is just a winner. People supported him, not the Army. As for the Americans and Gülen , forgive me, but he is an Islamist. He is living in Pennsylvania. He immediately denied that he's the provocateur. And Americans don't need these events.
Can Erdoğan's accusation result in unpleasant consequences?
It is his mistake that benefits Russia. Probably he has an intelligence service that perfectly understands the Americans have nothing to do with it, but it can talk.
Can our country take the advantage of it?
Undoubtedly, it will be beneficial because Lavrov immediately supported Erdoğan under the name of a 'constitutional regime'. If it had happened two months ago, very Lavrov would have said the progressive Armey wanted to overthrow Erdoğan. The situation has changed, and Russia is for Erdoĝan.
Did Russia benefit from this situation?
It did.