MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Middle Eastern countries have a chance to get out of the West’s shadow and become strategically autonomous, as the Western countries’ grip on the region is waning, Nikolay Surkov, a senior researcher at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the institute of world economy and international relations IMEMO has told the 13th Middle East Conference of the Valdai discussion club and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"These days, in contrast to what took place in the 20th century, we see that there are signs of emerging strategic autonomy. Instead of dependence and external domination, we can see strategic autonomy. The question is whether the Arab countries will use this window of opportunity," he said. "Now there is also a window of opportunity, because the Western powers’ strength is waning and alternative centers of military, economic and technological power are taking shape."
In this regard, the analyst stressed that today the Middle East was witnessing what he described as "the formation of regional centers of power that can theoretically unite the region and calm things down."
The way he sees it, if the Middle Eastern countries are capable of coming together and turning the region from a zone of conflict into a zone of cooperation, "then further strategic autonomy is possible, which will enable them to get rid of external dependence and gradually overcome the heavy legacy of colonial times, which still exists."
Surkov admitted that the countries of the region, once they have achieved strategic autonomy, "will no longer wish to be part of some camp and by no means seek to take revenge on former colonizers or imperialists."
"We realize that the Arab world will rather pursue a pragmatic course. It will be a new center of power in the world, acting in its own interests, shirking confrontation and doing business with all other actors to mutual benefit," the expert summarized.
Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, when many Israelis living in the settlements near the border were killed and more than 200 people, including children, women and the elderly, were taken hostage. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria.