World View: Russia Seeks Military Air and Naval Bases in Cyprus

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• Russia seeks military air and naval bases in Cyprus
• Assad supporters under attack in Lebanon
• Greece votes to lay off 27,500 civil service workers
• Iran uncovers a western ‘Wall of Fire’ anti-revolutionary plot

Russia seeks military air and naval bases in Cyprus

Russia’s ‘Admiral Panteleyev’ destroyer moored at port of Limassol, Cyprus

As we reported and June 29, Russiahas been withdrawing all its military personnel from Syria, includingthe naval base at Tartus, for months, and it was claimed that thereare no Russian military servicemen remaining in Syria, for fear of anincident involving the Russian military that could have largerconsequences.

To make up for the potential loss of its bases in Syria, Russia isasking Cyprus officials to set up a naval base at Limassol and an airbase at Paphos. This agreement would mark a serious escalation ofRussian capabilities in the Mediterranean, as the bases would serve aslaunching ground for Russian air and naval missions throughout theregion. However, some officials are raising concerns that Russianbases in Cyprus would be incompatible with Cyprus’ obligationsregarding cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO), and Cyprus’s long-time enemy Turkey is raising objections.

Cyprus and Russia have long had friendly relations. Russia has usedthe naval base at Limassol for refueling in the past, and many Russianoligarchs had stored billions of euros in Cyprus banks to takeadvantage of the high interest rates. But relations between the twocountries soured earlier this year, when Cyprus accepted a bailout,and was forced to confiscate 60% of large depositors’ bank accounts,particularly the accounts of Russian oligarchs. However, Cyprusofficials say that there is no relationship between the military andfinancial issues of the two countries. Jamestown and Cyprus Mail

Assad supporters under attack in Lebanon

Ever since Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah announced that theLebanon terror group would be openly supporting and fighting alongsidethe army of the regime of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad, al-Assadsupporters in Lebanon, and even ordinary Shia civilians, have comeunder attack by anti-Assad forces, causing Lebanon to experience ansupply routes are coming under attack, and even Hezbollah strongholdsare subject to terrorist bombings and assassinations. On Wednesday,Mohammad Jemo, a staunch supporter of al-Assad, was shot about 30times by an assault rifle while he was in his own home. A Syriannational was arrested. Hezbollah officials accuse Saudis and al-Qaedaof operating within Lebanon. Daily Star (Beirut)

Greece votes to lay off 27,500 civil service workers

Municipal police officers take part in anti-austerity rally outside the Greek parliament in Athens on Wednesday (AP)

Greece’s parliament narrowly approved a new law early Thursday morningthat, if implemented, will lead to layoffs of 27,500 public sectorworkers, mostly teachers and municipal workers, by the end of 2014.About 5,000 Greeks holding black balloons protested outside theparliament, chanting, “We will not succumb, the only option is toresist.” The layoffs are demanded by Europe and the IMF in return for240 billion euros in bailouts, despite Greece’s 27% unemployment rate.The new law will put 25,000 workers into a layoff scheme by the end of2013, giving them eight months to find another position or get laidoff. Kathimerini and AP

Iran uncovers a western ‘Wall of Fire’ anti-revolutionary plot

The Iranian Nuclear Program Strategic Studies Base has uncovered aplot by four Western countries about a “Wall of Fire” project againstIran. A wave of hundreds of Iranians who left the country after thebloody crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2009 would return to Iranto undermine President-elect Hassan Rouhani’s administration and thePrincipalists. The revealed plot involves three countries in Europeand other Western countries, working with a network of the BBC andother foreign media, along with over 100 web sites and some humanrights organizations, all of which are working against the revolution.Critical Threats and Iran Nuclear Reports (Trans)

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