Russia–Vanuatu relations
Encyclopedia
The Republic of Vanuatu
and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
established official diplomatic relations on June 30, 1986 - three months to the day before Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with the United States
. The USSR broke up and Russia
emerged as its successor state in 1991.
Today, Russia's ambassador to Vanuatu is Aleksandr Blokhin
(who is also an ambassador to Australia, and Russia's other non-resident embassies in Canberra such as Fiji
, Nauru
, and Tonga
).
and the United Kingdom
in 1980, was led by Prime Minister Father Walter Lini
, founder of the doctrine of Melanesian socialism
, from 1980 to 1991. Lini's foreign policy
was one of non-alignment
, manifested by Vanuatu joining the Non-Aligned Movement
in 1983. His government was the only one in Oceania
at the time which refused to align with the Western bloc
during the dying stages of the Cold War
. Lini sought to maintain cordial, though not particularly close, relations with the Soviet Union. There was never any suggestion of Vanuatu aligning with the Eastern bloc
; Lini was not a Marxist
, and there was no Communist Party in Vanuatu.
In 1987, Vanuatu authorised Soviet vessels to fish within Vanuatu's Exclusive Economic Zone
, in exchange for economic aid. The agreement lapsed the following year, and was not renewed, due to disagreements over the price to be paid for fishing rights by the USSR.
The year 1991 was marked both by the end of Lini's last term in office and by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thereafter, relations between Port-Vila and Moscow
were virtually non-existent.
In 2011, however, Vanuatu (under Prime Minister Sato Kilman
) did follow Russia's lead in recognising the breakaway Georgian
province of Abkhazia
as a sovereign state
. Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Carlot "offered little explanation for the decision [but] did give hints. He said he had studied at Moscow’s diplomatic academy during Soviet days, and that Vanuatu’s foreign policy aims at “eradicating colonialism from the face of the earth.”"
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
established official diplomatic relations on June 30, 1986 - three months to the day before Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The USSR broke up and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
emerged as its successor state in 1991.
Today, Russia's ambassador to Vanuatu is Aleksandr Blokhin
Alexander Blokhin (diplomat)
Alexander Viktorovich Blokhin is a Russian diplomat, currently serving as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Australia....
(who is also an ambassador to Australia, and Russia's other non-resident embassies in Canberra such as Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
).
Historical Relations
Vanuatu, which became independent from FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1980, was led by Prime Minister Father Walter Lini
Walter Lini
Father Walter Hadye Lini was an Anglican priest and the founding Prime Minister of Vanuatu. He was born on Pentecost Island. During the era when Vanuatu was a condominium ruled by the United Kingdom and France, Lini formed the Vanua'aku Pati, which was principally backed by English-speakers...
, founder of the doctrine of Melanesian socialism
Melanesian socialism
The concept of Melanesian socialism was first advocated by Father Walter Lini of the New Hebrides , who became the country's first prime minister upon its independence from France and the United Kingdom in 1980...
, from 1980 to 1991. Lini's foreign policy
Foreign relations of Vanuatu
Vanuatu maintains relations with more than 65 countries, and has a very modest network of diplomatic missions. However, only Australia, France, New Zealand, and the People's Republic of China maintain embassies, high commissions, or missions in Port Vila. The British High Commission closed in 2005...
was one of non-alignment
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
, manifested by Vanuatu joining the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
in 1983. His government was the only one in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
at the time which refused to align with the Western bloc
Western Bloc
The Western Bloc or Capitalist Bloc during the Cold War refers to the powers allied with the United States and NATO against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact...
during the dying stages of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Lini sought to maintain cordial, though not particularly close, relations with the Soviet Union. There was never any suggestion of Vanuatu aligning with the Eastern bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
; Lini was not a Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, and there was no Communist Party in Vanuatu.
In 1987, Vanuatu authorised Soviet vessels to fish within Vanuatu's Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
, in exchange for economic aid. The agreement lapsed the following year, and was not renewed, due to disagreements over the price to be paid for fishing rights by the USSR.
The year 1991 was marked both by the end of Lini's last term in office and by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Thereafter, relations between Port-Vila and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
were virtually non-existent.
In 2011, however, Vanuatu (under Prime Minister Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman
Sato Kilman is a Vanuatu politician. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from December 2010 to April 2011 and from May to June 2011, though his premiership was subsequently annulled by a court of law. He was elected Prime Minister again on 26 June 2011, thus beginning his first legally recognised term...
) did follow Russia's lead in recognising the breakaway Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
province of Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
as a sovereign state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
. Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Carlot "offered little explanation for the decision [but] did give hints. He said he had studied at Moscow’s diplomatic academy during Soviet days, and that Vanuatu’s foreign policy aims at “eradicating colonialism from the face of the earth.”"