Washington Post
November 15, 2001
NATO and Russia Reinventing Relationship
By Peter Finn and Peter Baker
BERLIN, Nov. 14 -- NATO and the Russian government are discussing
changes in
the basic structure of their relationship to give Russia ground-level
participation in formulating common policies on such subjects as
terrorism
and weapons proliferation, Western and Russian sources said.
Such a shift would be deeply symbolic but could also lead Russia to act
in
concert with NATO as never before, NATO officials say. The idea is to
reinvent a relationship that has been marked by mutual suspicion since
Russia
began formally working with NATO through a body called the Joint
Permanent
Council in 1997.
That council was set up after three former Soviet satellites, Poland,
the
Czech Republic and Hungary, joined NATO in 1999. But its dealings have
been
often marked by recrimination, particularly during NATO's bombing of
Yugoslavia in 1999. Russia has continued to believe that the alliance
remained a Cold War creature based on hostility to Moscow.
Both Russia and many countries in the alliance view the council as a
failure,
a place where the 19 NATO members establish a common position and then
butt
heads with Russia. Instead of being a cooperative "19 plus one," as
conceived, it is derided, particularly by Russia, as "19 against one."
Under the structure being discussed, "19 plus one" would simply become
"20."
On select topics, given urgency by the events of Sept. 11, NATO and
Russia
would attempt to arrive at unified positions together. "There is a lot
of
interest in the alliance in seeing whether it's possible," said a senior
NATO
official, confirming the discussions.
The discussions are part of a broader rethinking of Russia's engagement
with
the West and a top subject of the summit between President Bush and
Russian
President Vladimir Putin that began Tuesday in Washington.
In Houston today, Putin said: "We are prepared to expand cooperation
with
NATO and we are prepared to go as far as the Atlantic alliance is
prepared to
go." Bracketed by U.S. and Russian flags during a question-and-answer
session
with business and political leaders, he cited "some very good proposals"
under consideration to "involve Russia in true decision-making."
Putin also expressed optimism that the two sides could forge a true
partnership for the first time since the alliance was founded to counter
Soviet expansionism more than a half-century ago.
"Everything has changed," said a Russian diplomat, "and we must
re-evaluate
our relationship. How we can fight together -- or perhaps a better word
--
how we can solve things together?"
Putin left a meeting with NATO leaders in Brussels last month
discouraged
that his hopes of establishing closer ties were met only with what he
considered "nice words," according to a former Russian official with
ties to
Moscow's military leadership. But the discussion in the weeks since then
has
grown increasingly serious.
"I'm very encouraged," said Celeste A. Wallander, a specialist on
Russian-NATO relations at the Center for Strategic and International
Studies
in Washington. "It's really beginning to look like not just the United
States
but Europe and Russia are willing to look at this more creatively."
In the past, she said, Russia preferred a one-on-one relationship of
equals
with Washington rather than simply being treated as another European
ally.
"Putin has changed the objective -- he wants to be one of the Europeans
cooperating with the United States. He and his advisers have concluded
that's
better than being on the outside."
NATO is not ready to let Russia take part in military planning, Western
officials said. But comments like Lukin's, coupled with Russian
cooperation
with the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, have begun to animate discussion
inside
NATO.
"Afghanistan has indicated areas of commonality and a willingness to get
along, which offers the prospect of a leap forward," said another NATO
official.
Officials cautioned that there was no formal proposal yet to change the
Joint
Permanent Council. What qualms have surfaced inside NATO are coming from
some
of the newest members who view Russian with deep suspicion because of
their
history of subjugation during the Soviet era, sources said.
For states open to the idea, particularly Germany, it is unclear on what
issues beyond terrorism and weapons proliferation NATO and Russia could
profitably work together. There are still areas of deep disagreement,
including Russia's arms deals with countries such as Iran and Iraq.
But some analysts here believe that a new relationship could spill into
other
areas, including NATO membership for countries that were part of the
Soviet
Union, a move that Putin increasingly seems willing to countenance. The
three
Baltic countries, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, hope to join NATO next
year.
Baker reported from Houston.
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