Yannis Rachiotis (Greece) speech at the Global Conference on Multipolarity
Yannis Rachiotis (Greece) – Lawyer, public figure
Dear Friends,
Multipolarity, as a new international order, where a number of sovereign states in the same region ,with similar civilization , form poles of the international system, could be the common goal, at least of the non western world.
In the Global South the necessity of a Multipolar World is broadly understandable. It should be, and I hope to be, common goal of the people in the Balkans and Eastern Europe . More than 30 years now, the West uses this region as a place for looting. They are looting our resources and force the most qualified of our working force to migrate. Via EU and NATO the West fully controls our political and economical systems and uses our soil to place tens of US military bases .
For the small depended states which the West formed in the Balkans and in Eastern Europe in the 90ies , multipolarity is “conditio sine qua non”, for their transformation from vassal states into independent states. In our region, it is necessary to rebuilt federal structures. Otherwise what could be the future of alleged states with population of some hundred thousand or even 1-2 millions?
Dear Friends
Very important steps to the direction of multipolarization are already in progress: Need to mention the BRI, the common stance of the global south against the western sanctions , the formation of BRICS,SCO and also CELAC & ALBA in Latin America etc ,the formation of the BRICS’ Bank and more important the de- dollarization process of international transactions . All are very optimistic developments
But we have to keep in mind that the road to multipolarity,still confronts serious obstacles: The US still controls, almost entirely, important economic and commercial networks and crucial industries ,such as semiconductor industry.
Even more important, the rhythm of the multipolarity process , in the foreseeable future , will be determined by the outcome of the war in Ukraine, and of the wars that the US promotes in Asia.
Without a decisive defeat of the collective West , in Ukraine and in Chinas Seas, if finally the war erupts there , the future of multipolarity is not guaranteed.
We use to say that the US is declining. By a general perspective it is correct, but nobody can say how long will lasts this process. US decline does not mean that US will be defeated by definition in the current wars. They have serious military capabilities and they do not hesitate to use them. The first year of the SMO proved this .At this point , a reasonable question arises. What could be, in the current conditions, a decisive defeat of the West in Ukraine ? Various answers are proposed till now. The future will show us, which is the correct one
It is clear that the US is preparing a new war against China. They consider that they still have the might and they ought to go to war, in the next few years. Maybe this war is not unavoidable ,if Russia in Ukraine destroys the will of the western powers for war. If China develops a sufficient deterrence capability and if the masses of the world’s lower strata consider the struggle for a multipolar world as their own.
Dear Friends
What a multipolar perspective requires from the peoples , is not the same in every region,
In Eastern Europe it is clear that requires first of all to oust the US military bases . Nobody can be independent and sovereign with US forces on its soil. Second, requires withdrawal from EU and NATO which are the poles of US dominance on European countries. 3rd requires to reestablish a common space in the region . Possibly, here in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, we have to re-examine old ideas about federalism, in the framework of the formation of the new multipolar international system.
