Appeal for Dialogue

02.10.2009 12:33

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization new Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen appealed all the countries of the organization for the beginning of an “unprejudiced dialogue with Russia” with due mutual account taken of the alliance’s and Moscow’s interests.

The anti-Russian strategy NATO has been adhering to since the Cold War, became the main brake on the way of the alliance activity and reforming in new geopolitical circumstances.

One understands in Europe that a policy of “Moscow’s deterrence” stalemated NATO and it is necessary to change the strategy of its activity with Russia. Continuation of confrontation with Moscow is fraught with disintegration and split for the alliance. One realizes it particularly well in the Old World – in the states of Western Europe. “The West and Russia need one another,” Angela Merkel, the German chancellor believes. “The countries of Europe should ensure the creation of strategic, based on confidence, partnership with Russia,” French Defence Minister Herve Morin replies.

Understanding the current situation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization new Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, unlike his predecessor, defined the establishment of NATO’s constructive dialogue with Russia as a priority task of his work in the capacity of Secretary General of the alliance. Having said so at his inaugural, Rasmussen underlined: “It is necessary to establish a real strategic partnership with Russia.”

NATO Secretary General addressed an appeal to all the alliance member states to include Russia in the strategic defence plan. And in this context Rasmussen is ready to discuss with the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev his proposals on new security system in Europe. “I am open for Medvedev’s proposals,” said the leader of the alliance.

Rasmussen plans to send to Moscow a high-ranking delegation to find out the Kremlin’s point of view on the problem of Russia’s strategic relations towards NATO. Though this position has long been known to everybody because it is stated in the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation up to 2020.

Particularly, the second section of the Strategy says: “Russia is ready for the development of relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on basis of equality and in the interest of general security in the Euro-Atlantic region, intensity and content of which will be determined by the alliance’s readiness for taking into account Russia’s legitimate interests when making military and political planning, respecting the standards of international law, as well as for their further transformation and search of new tasks and functions of humanitarian orientation.”

At the same time the Strategy specificates that “a determinative factor in relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will remain unacceptability for Russia of plans of the alliance’s military infrastructure advancement towards its borders and attempts of giving it global functions contrary to the standards of international law.”

In other words, it is said in the Strategy not only about intentions to develop Russia’s relations with NATO, but also terms are clearly outlined upon which these relations can be developed. The things must be arranged in such a way that our relations with NATO should have complete clarity, transparency and equivalent specifity.

If NATO continues to pretend to a global role and build the world security only for itself, then it will be hardly possible to establish a constructive dialogue between the alliance and the Russian Federation and ensure a strategic partnership in the field of security, which NATO new Secretary General appeals for.