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Depratment of Defense
December 2000
 

Strengthening Transatlantic Security - 
A U.S. Strategy for the 21st Century 

 
 
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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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