Zee Beam News

May 4, 2005 Moscow. (Sergei Rogov, for RIA Novosti) - George Bush and Vladimir Putin will have an opportunity to stabilize U.S.-Russian relations when they meet during the 60th anniversary celebrations of VE Day in Moscow. This will only benefit both countries, as they, just like the rest of the world, have to counter common threats, such as international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, simmering regional conflicts, and emerging global economic and environmental problems. Peace and stability across the planet can only be achieved through joint efforts and this is the foundation of long-term partnership between Russia and the United States. During their February summit in Bratislava, the two presidents adopted important decisions on cooperation in ensuring nuclear security and on preventing terrorists from using nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, bilateral relations are not at their highest ebb, as negative attitudes toward each other have emerged in both countries. The reasons for this are well known. The United States is worried about Russia's "backsliding" on democracy and pursuing a "neo-imperialist policy" on the domestic scene. Russia is concerned about U.S. policy in Ukraine and other CIS nations. Nor is it happy about U.S. attempts to secure "regime change" in those countries that fail to meet its standards of democracy. Democrats in Congress and Republican right-wingers have made renewed calls to deter Russia, thereby trying to revive the spirit of the Cold War in Russian-U.S. relations. Indeed, many people in Russia, to say nothing of America and Europe, say America and the West as a whole are Russia's eternal foes and partnership is impossible. Today, 15 years after the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia may be forced "to pay" for losing the Cold War. In other words, it will be treated as a third-rate country that should toe the winners' line. Russia will never accept this approach. It wants to cooperate with the U.S. on the basis of trust, but will not be dictated to as it was in the 1990s, when it was told what economic policy to pursue and how it should act in the former Soviet republics. In his state of the nation address on April 25, President Putin emphasized that democratic values were an absolute priority for Russia. But will Russia be able to become a mature democracy with a developed market economy if it remains isolated from advanced democracies or is locked in confrontation with them? At an April 28 news conference, President Bush virtually rebuffed the hard-liners' calls to forego partnership with Russia. In his opinion, Russia and the U.S. can and should cooperate despite current disagreements. Recent events in Kyrgyzstan, where both Russia and the U.S. have military bases, create more opportunities for Russian-American cooperation. Through concerted efforts they can help prevent al-Qaida-linked fundamentalists from destabilizing the situation in Central Asia. Considering that the Russian and American troops are deployed close to each other, it would make sense to let them cooperate and conduct joint maneuvers. Moreover, both Russia and the U.S. can cooperate in fighting drug production in Afghanistan and trafficking out of the country. Russia is seriously concerned about the production of drugs since the fall of the Taliban regime, as Afghanistan has now turned into the main transshipment point for sending drugs from Central Asia to Russia and Europe. Russia's decision to join the NATO Status of Forces Agreement creates more opportunities for expanding and stabilizing Russian-American contacts. This agreement covers the legal aspects of personnel and equipment deployment on foreign territory and regulates their transit. This means the U.S. and NATO can supply their troops in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan via Russian territory. Cooperation in this sphere will promote mutual trust and demonstrate that Russia and the U.S. are not engaged in some idle competition. Other post-Soviet nations, like Georgia and Ukraine, will see it as an example to follow. At any rate, they will realize that it is pointless to exploit Russian-American contradictions. When the Russian and U.S. presidents issued a joint statement marking the 60th anniversary of Soviet-U.S. meeting on the Elbe, they said the new century had brought more opportunities for building a lasting peace on the foundations of law and common values of freedom and democracy. As Russia and the United States develop a closer partnership, the Elbe meeting serves as reminder of the opportunities they can provide for themselves and the rest of the world when they are united in the face of global challenges and cooperate for the sake of progress. Sergei Rogov is the director of the Institute of the U.S.A. and Canada, and a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.