MIGRANYAN: An opportunity with Russia

COMMENTARY:

After his Inauguration, President Barack Obama will inherit quite a sad situation in U.S.-Russian relations, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.

And while the Cold War is thankfully a bygone era, the mindsets created then persist today. The new leadership in Russia and the United States have an opportunity to move past this outdated approach.

Several factors - notably NATO expansion, U.S. withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, and installation of components of defense systems in the Czech Republic and Poland - have led Russian leaders to believe Washington is still pursuing a policy of containing and weakening Moscow.

On the other hand, many Western leaders, particularly in Washington, think Russia’s efforts to enhance cooperation with China, Iran and Venezuela, as well a number of other countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, is a manifestation of anti-Western policy.

Today, the Russian leadership, as never before, is prepared to become a serious and responsible partner of the United States and assume its role in ensuring global security in the world. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, U.S. administrations have viewed Russia as a defeated power and have never tried to integrate Russia into global economic, military or political institutions. Russia firmly believes that unless it strengthens its position in international relations, the United States will never view it as a serious force whose interests must be taken into account.

To turn our relationship into a real partnership, President-elect Obama must answer one key question: How does the United States view Russia today in international relations - as a partner, ally or as an adversary? The answer will largely determine the future of U.S.-Russia relations.

If the Obama administration gives up unilateralism in foreign policy, it will open up great prospects for constructive cooperation with Russia on the issues where the two countries’ interests align.

One of Mr. Obama’s priorities is to end the war in Iraq as soon as possible and to move the center of gravity to Afghanistan to take decisive action for the eradication of the Taliban. In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, Russia was the main partner of the United States and made a significant contribution to inflicting decisive blows on the Taliban in Afghanistan. Centering military operations to that region strengthens the natural alliance between Russia and the United States.

Another priority of the Obama administration is nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Here again, Russia is a natural ally of the United States, since it has significant potential for influencing a solution of this issue.

Mr. Obama has a unique opportunity to solve a strategic task of the West with regard to Russia by encouraging it to become an integral part of the West and a responsible member of the international community. Supporting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s proposal to establish a new universal Euro-Atlantic security system could be a first step in that direction. This can profoundly change U.S.-Russian relations.

Allowing Russia to become a full-fledged member of new Euro-Atlantic security structures would make Mr. Obama a truly great political figure, one able to put an end to the Cold War. Indeed, a true end of the Cold War involves integrating Russia into the Western community where it would have both significant rights and serious obligations before its partners in the area of preserving international peace and security.

Only time will tell if Mr. Obama will be able to make this choice, but one thing is clear: Russia is ready and willing. We hope the U.S. is, too.

Andranik Migranyan is director of the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation. He has been an acting member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation since 2005 and a professor of political science at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.