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Russia protects regime of Syrian president Assad because it is afraid of losing naval bases in Latakia and Tartus, writes president of Eurasia Group Ian Bremmer in his article published by The Financial Times.
Combat Capability [42%],
Role and Missions,
Structure of the Navy,
in-service ships, surface ships, submarines, chronology.
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Russian Navy May Settle in Greece if Syria Changes Regime – Media
23.03.2012
If Assad's regime falls down, Russia may direct its eyes, say, to Greece which urgently needs a source of long-term incomes, forecasts the author.
According to him, someday Moscow and Athens may consider reasonable to sign a 30 or 50 years long agreement providing that Russian Navy would establish a base in Piraeus. Greece could profit up to $200 bln in this case, Bremmer writes.
However, present-day Greek technocratic administration won't sign such agreement primarily because of Allies' objections. But the next government may play differently, being severely pressed by populists who demand to raise money and disobey Berlin and Brussels.
Presently, the EU has many tools to manipulate Greece. Although Greece itself is interested in membership of EU and NATO, it should not be supposed that Athens wouldn't have other options soon, warns Bremmer.
Russian and Chinese state-led companies are trying to buy cheap assets in Greece while Western investors leave the country. Chinese Cosco obtained a 35-year long concession in administering of Greek port Piraeus. As rumor goes, Russian Gazprom is interested in privatization of Greek gas company Depa and gas distributor Desfa, says the article.