News

Friday, February 19, 2010

Question: Acting president of Russia Vladimir Putin and you reloaded the Russian-NATO relations a decade ago. This term is back in the active political parlance again, these days. Is there any similarity between the processes then and now?

George Robertson: I remember that meeting with Mr. Putin in February 2000. On my return from Moscow I told President Bush who had been recently elected that the Russian leader and he would definitely rub along. And they did, at first. We established the Russian-NATO Council in 2002 to discuss whatever pressing problems needed a discourse. It's a pity we failed then to build up a solid foundation of the relations between the Alliance and Russia Fortunately, we have another chance now to reload the relations and work out a common view on the existing problems. I earnestly hope that the new NATO secretary general and new Russian and American leaders will accomplish it.

Question: What do you think of the current shape and condition of the relations between Russia and the Alliance?

George Robertson: They greatly improved with Barack Obama in the White House. Suspicions fade away, I think. Some key decisions have been made already. The United States abandoned its plans to develop the ABM system in the Czech Republic and Poland. Russia offered to more actively participate in Afghanistan. The way I see it, these two issues should be regarded as the basis of our contacts. I believe that both countries are earnestly willing to leave the past discord behind.

Question: How does it all check with the new Russian military doctrine that treats NATO's activity as a potential threat to national security of Russia?

George Robertson: I saw the document. It makes interesting reading but this is just a paper. I disagree with the assumption that NATO's activity poses a threat to Russia. Whoever promotes this hypothesis is mistaken, as mistaken as those who believe that Russia poses a threat to global security.

Question: What does it make Russia and NATO then?

George Robertson: Allies. Threats to NATO are threats to Russia. International terrorism, organized crime, religious extremism, weapons of mass destruction proliferation - we can and we should tackle all these problems together.

Question: Will NATO take Russia's concerns into account when designing its new strategic concept?

George Robertson: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen plainly called relations with Russia one of the priorities of the Alliance. NATO functionaries working on the future strategy do consult with foreign countries. I dare say that Russia's concerns have been duly noted.

Question: Rasmussen said that NATO and Russia would develop a joint ballistic missile defense system by 2020. Will they?

George Robertson: I don't see why not. In fact, this idea was even discussed when I was the secretary general. Yes, I believe that development of a joint NATO-Russian ballistic missile defense system should be on the Russian-NATO Council's agenda.

Question: Do you still believe that Russia may be in NATO?

George Robertson: Russia's membership in NATO is more plausible now than it was a decade ago. When I was the secretary general, NATO comprised 19 countries. These days, it includes 27 countries. It is a different organization altogether - more political, and less military. Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia, and Moldova aspire to NATO membership, these days. With them in NATO, it will be a wholly new kind of an international security organization. The way I see it, Russia will inevitably be part of this whole process.

Question: A couple of words on the Russian-NATO cooperation in Afghanistan, please.

George Robertson: NATO entered Afghanistan when I was its secretary general. Defeating the Talibs is our duty, I think. It is not only important for NATO countries as such. It is also important for Russia. If Al-Qaeda and Taliban are given a chance to lick their wounds and regroup, they will return to the Caucasus. I appreciate what Russia has been doing to aid NATO and appreciate its readiness to do even more than that. I liked Russian Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin's piece in the International Herald Tribune where he wrote that Russia had faith in success of the Alliance in Afghanistan.