Russian accord brings golden opportunity

Date: 06/06/02

By Aleksey Makushkin

Putin has best chance ever for harmony with NATO.

FOR the first time in 100 years Russia has been declared a European ally - that is the most basic meaning of the NATO-Russia agreement.

This is a revolution in that it abandons the old-time zero sum game between East and West. Efforts should now be invested into fundamentally changing the relationship to a positive sum game.

For Russia, the agreement is also a crucial step in its new drive to acquire political capital that can be converted into economic growth. To this extent, it substantially contributes to the much-coveted status of 'a market economy country', since it suggests that Russia's growing economic power can finally be perceived as a positive factor for the common good of Europe.

The agreement clearly opens doors for strategic talks on a whole range of sensitive issues regarding the long-term economic involvement of Russia in European markets.

Russian industry, Soviet-created to compete in military technologies with the West, has proved excessive for current domestic markets. From today these enterprises could start thinking of joint ventures with their European counterparts.

And it should not only be rocket launches or a satellite network. Energy issues are very much at stake too. As a rule, no state could possibly trust its energy markets to someone perceived as an enemy. However, with this agreement, things may very well have changed.

A new round of talks on long-term energy contracts may be coming closer - and that would be to the benefit of both sides.

In general, the agreement has been warmly greeted in Russia. One can hardly imagine more pro-European sentiments amongst the elite. However, there have been dissenting opinions, mostly from technical experts who doubt it can become really instrumental. They point out that the agreement claims to create a new political reality without clear mechanisms for its implementation.

Other critics are those who prefer to keep living in the past. They are understandably under strain, since this political boom deprives them of their traditional notions and, not insignificantly, their career perspectives. This is evidently the case in some European states as well. Although it is basically accepted that NATO has grown out of its Cold War agenda, it may not be easy to accept that Russia can take a lead in such an important and sensitive process as the fundamental transformation of the role of NATO.

President Putin is currently leading Russia towards the idea of a 'Big Europe' as the post-Cold-War geopolitical reality - and so far he has not encountered any major internal criticism, in contrast to his pro-active approach to the US. He also basically suggests European leaders promote the Big Europe idea in their own countries.

If this change is accepted, it may be no less important for the European mentality than the effect of Gorbachev's perestroika in the Soviet Union.

There is much to be done within Russia for NATO-Russian relations to be perceived as beneficial for the national interest. NATO has long been seen as a purely military organisation focused on waging wars.

There is a need to introduce the broader concept of security threats alongside NATO as a crucially important political mechanism open for Russian concerns as well.

However, with Putin, Russia has the best chance ever to make this happen.

But it should be a choice made by a democratic majority, and in the best interests of the nation.

If the benefits of the NATO-Russia efforts prove limited to agreements among elites, this may never come true.

And it should be noted that in Russia the whole trend of political activism is seen as elite-driven.

• Aleksey Makushkin is Russia country director for the East West Institute in Moscow. He was formerly an economist with the Russian government.

Viewpoint article by the Russia country director for the East West Institute, Moscow.