Opportunities Unfolding in U.S.-Russian Relations
Washington - U.S.-Russian relations are now on a much more solid footing than they were just one year ago, says William Burns, under secretary of state for political affairs.
"Many challenges and difficulties remain, and we have a great deal of work to do together to widen and strengthen the base of cooperation, but we've made a promising start," Burns said April 14, a day after the Nuclear Security Summit ( http://www.america.gov/relations/nonproliferation.html ) in Washington.
Speaking at the Center for American Progress ( http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/April/20100414161120eaifas0.9604303.html ), a nonpartisan public policy organization, the under secretary said that both President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton have made relations with Russia a high priority.
"Rarely has there been a time when getting relations right between our two countries, and between our two societies, mattered more than it does today," Burns said.
The under secretary said the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty ( http://www.america.gov/st/nonprolif-english/2010/April/20100408130409esnamfuak0.8880274.html ) (START) signed by President Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague on April 8 "enhances American security, reduces the threat of nuclear war, and sets a powerful example of responsible U.S.-Russian leadership in managing and reducing our remaining nuclear arsenals on the eve of the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] Review Conference in May."
Missile defense, which has been a source of such suspicion and tension between Russia and the United States, instead can be a transformative opportunity for both countries, he added.
"We can explore practical steps toward cooperation on missile defense, consistent with the new phased adaptive approach of the Obama administration," the under secretary said.
Burns talked about the increased cooperation by the two countries to ensure that other countries do not acquire nuclear weapons. He singled out the bilateral and multilateral efforts to remove the threat of nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula and the new United Nations Security Council sanctions resolution about Iran.
"That level of cooperation was unimaginable in the depths of U.S.-Russian acrimony at the end of 2008; while we will no doubt continue to have our share of tactical differences, we have come a long way in a relatively short time in our efforts together on Iran," Burns said.
He said that the fight against violent extremism is a second area of significantly improved cooperation, stressing that "the attacks on the Moscow Metro two weeks ago are a horrific reminder of what we have both suffered at the hands of terrorists, and of our common stake in defeating them."
Burns also cited the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission and its 16 working groups as providing an important new structure for future cooperation on issues ranging from energy efficiency and youth sports exchanges to university partnerships and preserving the Arctic environment.
But Burns said that many challenges remain in the U.S.-Russian relationship, emphasizing that the two countries disagree fundamentally about the situation in Georgia, and the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia ( http://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-english/2009/September/20090922122840dmslahrellek0.4532892.html ). Acknowledging the genuine concerns that each country has for the regions closest to its borders, Burns said that "21st century values and expectations - and not 19th century views about spheres of influence - should drive a frank dialogue over our interests in the world as a whole, as well as in areas closer to home."
"Even as basic differences persist, we both have an obligation to help ensure that tensions do not erupt into violence again," he said.
Burns said the United States will "continue to be plainspoken and unapologetic about our interest in universal human rights, and our conviction that democratic institutions and the rule of law are the keys to unlocking the enormous human potential of Russia, America and any other society in the 21st century."
"It is deeply in the self-interest of Russians and their future," he added, to address all of the challenges that have to do with fighting corruption, empowering civil society and building respect for rule of law.
Burns added that it is in the interests of the United States to contribute to Russia's economic modernization, and to "re-energize" Russia's bid for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), despite the considerable complications posed by Russia's decision to enter into a customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus, both of whom are also still outside the WTO.
On another economic issue, Burns said that "it is long past time to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment," which imposes trade penalties on countries that restrict emigration.
Going back to the concept of "reset," Burns said that it carried the misleading notion that the slate could be wiped clean with the push of a button, starting anew unburdened by the past. He cautioned that reality, of course, is a little more complicated.
"But for the first time in a long time, the possibilities before us outnumber the problems. That is a very good thing for Russians and Americans, and for the entire world," he said.
