Military

DATE=5/13/02

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-51602

TITLE=NATO / RUSSIA

BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE=BRUSSELS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: NATO is set to approve a revamped relationship with Russia at a meeting this week in Iceland. That will build on a rapprochement between the former Cold War foes, following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States. A new NATO-Russia Council will be set up that will allow Moscow to sit side-by-side with the 19 NATO allies, and plan common policy against terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and other security threats. V-O-A Correspondent Roger Wilkison reports.

TEXT: NATO foreign ministers meeting in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, will give the green light to the new arrangement, and the new NATO-Russia Council will meet for the first time on May 28th, when Russian President Vladimir Putin joins NATO leaders for a summit meeting at an Italian air force base outside Rome.

One NATO official says all that remains is to dot a few "eyes" and cross a few "tees" (resolve minor details) for the new NATO-Russia relationship to become institutionalized.

NATO's decision to reach out to Russia is in recognition of Moscow's political and diplomatic support for the United States since the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Russia shared intelligence with the United States, and approved American use of bases in former Soviet Central Asian republics.

Sixteen yeas ago, a summit in Reykjavik between then U-S President Ronald Reagan and his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev, broke up after disagreements on arms control. Now, the Icelandic capital is the venue for a new level of cooperation between the former Cold War enemies.

The director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of U-S-A and Canada Studies, Sergey Rogov, says September 11th forced both Russia and NATO to recognize that they share common interests.

/// ROGOV ACT 1 ///

Yes, we do have disagreements. We all know that Russia is not happy at all about the decision to enlarge the North Atlantic Alliance. We all know that there are disagreements concerning arms control agreements. But, nevertheless, what we have to admit is that, today, both Russia and the West face the same challenges. And that allows us to restructure our relationship.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Rogov admits that differences still divide Russia and the alliance. NATO acknowledges that it does not see eye-to-eye with Moscow over Russian actions in Chechnya, U-S policy toward Iraq or Russian arms sales to such countries as Iran. But despite the fragility of Russia's relationship with the West, Mr. Rogov sees the positive aspects outweighing the negative ones.

/// ROGOV ACT 2 ///

If we are able to recognize that we have common interests and can give them top priority, then we can have a cooperative relationship, a partnership, and maybe even something stronger than a partnership. Still, there will be areas of disagreement. That's normal, because, if we give top priority to common interests, then we can control the disagreements and manage them.

/// END ACT ///

The new NATO-Russia relationship is just one of three fronts that have dominated thinking at alliance headquarters in Brussels.

Another is expanding NATO membership to bring in more new democracies in Eastern and Central Europe. In November, NATO leaders will decide which among nine candidates should be admitted to the organization.

A third area is shifting the military focus of the alliance to deal with multi-faceted terrorist threats, and close the so-called capability gap between the United States and its allies.

U-S Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns says this is the area that is a major priority for Washington.

/// BURNS ACT 1 ///

In order to take on new tasks and to meet the new threats that emanate from September 11th, the alliance, in addition to its current military capabilities, needs to have certain types of capabilities that are more flexible, that allow us to get to the battlefield more quickly, and that allow us to combat, deter, or fight asymetric and unconventional foes.

/// END ACT ///

/// OPT /// The United States has been pushing its allies to upgrade their military muscle and spend more to build their capabilities in areas such as transport planes, precision-guided munitions, special forces, and secure communications. /// END OPT ///

Mr. Burns identifies Europe's repeated failure to increase defense spending and face the new threats of the 21st century as NATO's main problem.

/// BURNS ACT 2 ///

It's no secret that there is -- and it's a worrisome trend--- a capabilities gap between the United States and the majority, the great majority, of our European allies. It's not new to 2002, but it's worrisome, because the United States does not to wish to see a two-tiered alliance develop.

/// END ACT ///

Yet the military gap seems certain to grow wider. /// OPT /// The 45-billion-dollar increase in defense spending planned by President Bush this year is more than the entire defense budget of Britain or France, the two leading West European military powers. /// END OPT /// There is no political support in Europe for a significant increase in military spending.

NATO officials say that Washington, with its high-technology arsenal and ability to act alone militarily, will not want its hands tied by having to share decision-making with its allies, as it did in the 1999 Kosovo War. So, these officials say, future wars will most likely involve a so-called coalition of the willing, led by the United States instead of NATO as an alliance. (Signed)

NEB/RW/JWH/TW