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Engaging the Russian Federation
The United States, Allies and Partners share a vital interest in enabling
the Russian Federation to become a stable, market-oriented democracy that
is ruled by law, at peace with itself, and willing and able to contribute
to and participate fully in the security and prosperity of Europe. The
transatlantic community cannot be truly secure if its enormous nuclear-armed
neighbor, with its rich human and natural resources, withdraws behind a
new curtain of hostility and authoritarian rule or collapses economically.
Our ongoing sustained bilateral and multilateral engagement efforts
with Russia in political, economic, and security matters must be continued
if we are to reach our long-term objectives. Success on one front will
help advance progress on the others. For example, by facilitating Russia
in its effort to build a stronger economy through increased trade and investment
relations with the United States and EU, we hope to create powerful incentives
for improved political and security cooperation.
In the realm of security affairs, U.S. strategy toward the Russian Federation
contains three major elements, which should be pursued in both bilateral
and multilateral channels:
First, we seek to minimize Russian perceptions of the United States
and NATO as potential threats to Russia’s national security. Russian official
pronouncements on military doctrine, which are based on such perceptions,
have often appeared menacing, particularly to Russia’s neighbors. Such
threat perceptions also have potentially damaging internal consequences.
Second, we seek to expand programs of practical cooperation with the
Russian Federation on security-related issues. Through regular contact
at many levels, we hope to develop relations wherein cooperation with the
United States, Allies and Partners becomes a normal and highly valued activity
for Russian military and defense officials.
Third, when Russia’s actions or policies raise serious concerns about
its commitment to values important to the transatlantic and wider international
communities, we will not remain silent. We want Russia to realize that
negative behavior has negative consequences.
In the bilateral arena, the U.S. commitment to stabilizing reductions
in each side’s strategic nuclear forces testifies to our desire not to
return to the dangerous nuclear competition of the Cold War era. These
reductions will be accompanied by nuclear-related confidence building measures
(for example, the recent agreement to establish a joint U.S.-Russian center
in Moscow to exchange information on ballistic missile launches) that demonstrate
our desire to work with Russia to avoid posssible misunderstandings. High-level
consultations between American and Russian defense and military officials
also serve as a primary vehicle to improve each side’s understanding of
the other’s military doctrines and policies.
n the multilateral arena, the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council (PJC),
established in 1997, is an important venue for consultations, cooperation
and, wherever possible, consensus-building between the Alliance and Russia.
While we strive to reach a common understanding with Russia, we must
also underscore that it is in Russia’s own national interest to broaden
security-related cooperation with the United States, NATO and Partners.
Here, as well, we have an excellent foundation upon which to build. For
example, under the Expanded Threat Reduction Initiative, the United
States is enhancing and enlarging existing programs that over the past
eight years have helped the Russians to: deactivate thousands of nuclear
warheads; destroy hundreds of missiles, bombers and ballistic missile submarines;
improve security of nuclear weapons and materials at dozens of sites; prevent
the proliferation of biological weapons and associated capabilities; begin
safe destruction of the world’s largest stocks of chemical weapons; and
provide opportunities and inducements for thousands of former Soviet weapons
scientists to participate in peaceful commercial and research activities.
Several NATO and EU countries are engaged in related bilateral and multilateral
efforts to assist Russia in dealing with the WMD-related legacy of the
former Soviet Union.
Over time, we seek to develop new areas of cooperation where Russia
can become an active contributor to transatlantic security. An important
precedent in this regard has been established in the Balkans, where Russian
military forces have worked well with NATO and Partner forces in SFOR and
KFOR. As part of our strategy, we seek to improve our ability to cooperate
with Russia in crisis response opera-tions by arranging joint U.S.-Russian
exercises and by cooperating with Russia on theater missile defense technologies.
An integral part of our strategy of engagement involves communicating
our expectation that Russia will adhere to international norms and standards.
While we acknowledge, for example, the right of Russia to preserve its
territorial integrity and its right and responsibility to protect its citizens
against terrorism and criminal elements, Russia’s use of massive and indiscriminate
force against Chechen civilians has raised serious questions about its
commitment to international norms and particularly human rights. We will
continue to urge the Russian government to pursue every avenue for a political
solution to the conflict, including through a substantive dialogue with
Chechen representatives.
An integral part of our strategy of engagement involves communicating
our expectation that Russia will adhere to international norms and standards.
While we acknowledge, for example, the right of Russia to preserve its
territorial integrity and its right and responsibility to protect its citizens
against terrorism and criminal elements, Russia’s use of massive and indiscriminate
force against Chechen civilians has raised serious questions about its
commitment to international norms and particularly human rights. We will
continue to urge the Russian government to pursue every avenue for a political
solution to the conflict, including through a substantive dialogue with
Chechen representatives.
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