"The problem of the Spratly Archipelago occupies an important place in the interstate relations of East Asian countries and in the foreign policy of ASEAN. Understanding the seriousness of the conflict over territories and water areas in the South China Sea, which will have negative consequences not only for the regional but also for the global economy, the ASEAN members are trying to find ways to resolve the problem through a negotiation process with all participants in the territorial dispute." Omar Nessar: "In the long run, Islamabad is in danger of India and Afghanistan coming closer together and even forming a kind of' anti-Pakistan alliance ' that could encircle Pakistani territory. In addition to transport and military problems, such an environment, according to the Pakistani leadership, can be used by their opponents to stimulate separatist movements both in the north of the IRP, in places where Pashtun tribes live, and in the east of the country. At the same time, separatist issues have become of particular concern to Islamabad after India opened new diplomatic missions in a number of Afghan cities bordering Pakistan." Andrey Fedorchenko: "The growing anti-monarchist sentiment in the east of the country should not be underestimated. If the demonstrations continue and people are killed, the Saudi army will have to throw all its might at suppressing these demonstrations. Consequently, less attention will be paid to the problematic situation on the border with Yemen, where a couple of years ago there was already a war with the Houthi tribes. Sunni opponents of the regime - Muslim Brotherhood activists on the one hand, and veterans of world jihad on the other-will also take advantage of the gap in the Saudi security network." page 37 Yuri RAIKOV Ambassador to the Lao PDR (2002-2007), Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences yaraikov@yandex.ru Recently, serious passions have been raging in a number of capitals of the ... Read more