Nineteen simple steps to become friends with Russia

The commission gave a total of 19 of recommendations to Barack Obama’s administration that it says will help move from promising rhetoric to real reconciliation. It says the US should review its plans for an anti-missile shield in Europe and make a genuine effort to find a compromise approach to the perceived threat from Iran and North Korea. It should find some new way to demonstrate a commitment to the sovereignty of Ukraine and Georgia and admit the fact that both countries are not ready to become NATO members.

The experts suggest lifting the cold war era Jackson-Vanik Amendment, as the US has promised on many occasions. America should also help Russia become a WTO member as well as negotiate and sign a Bilateral Investment Treaty. America can help Russia and Europe develop clear rules for European and Eurasian security, which will provide for Russia’s interests. This includes a mutually acceptable system of rights and responsibilities for energy suppliers, transit countries and consumers. At the same time the panel report says the US should help Europe decrease its dependence on Russia’s energy.

Similarly the US and Russia should work on the extension of the disarmament treaty, START I, before it expires in December 2009 and discuss reaching agreements with the goal of scrapping nuclear weapons completely. They should also find more efficient instruments for nuclear non-proliferation, which would allow countries develop peaceful nuclear energy without raising suspicion over their nature. A global nuclear fuel bank may be a solution here.

The report adds that Washington should stop lecturing Moscow on human rights and let Russian society evolve at its own pace and, at the same time, make sure that the United States’ own behaviour meets the same standards it wants Russia to meet.

The US and Moscow should not only both commit to compromise, but also establish structures that would implement them at cabinet level and lower. Co-operation requires the mechanisms for consultation and negotiation that are proportionate to its vital strategic importance.

A difficult partner at best

The document points out that while Washington and Moscow have many mutual interests, including nuclear non-proliferation, fighting terrorism and European security, in some areas there are disagreements which may be difficult to overcome.

American experts believe that while a more forthcoming approach to Russia is far from guaranteed to succeed, the risk in making the effort is far smaller than the costs of a slide into hostility.

Expert comments

Speaking about the report Stephen Cohen, a professor of Russian Studies at New York University, told RT that so far he sees no intention among the new American administration to overcome the main stumbling block in relations with Moscow.

“The main obstacle, the essence of the issue in relations between the United States and Russia, is NATO expansion. And I haven’t heard anything from the Obama administration that suggests it’s prepared to say to Moscow ‘OK, no more NATO expansion’. Washington still has the idea – and it’s awfully important – that Georgia and, more importantly, Ukraine should come into the zone of American national security. Obviously that’s a direct conflict with Moscow”.

He added, “I’m not optimistic, and the reason I’m not optimistic is that there is a lot of dogma in the United States about Russia. Not many people think that the US should change its policy towards Russia.”

Russia and the US need more bilateral ties to become better partners, believes Ekaterina Kuznetsova from the Post-Industrial Society Research Centre.

“The main problem is that the two countries can co-operate on broader issues on international relations, but in fact there are no bi-lateral relations in terms of economy and trade. This basis is very poor,” she said.