President Putin: Rising above the bickering of NATO? …

Novosti, Russia

NATO Summit Shows Why It's 'Hard to Be American or European'

"It's clear that today, it's hard to be an American or a European. For several centuries, Western civilization nurtured illusions about its eternal leadership and dominance on this planet, and the subordinate role of all other civilizations and continents. But this era is at an end, and it's time for the West to adapt to new realities.

By Dmitry Kosyrev

Translated By Igor Medvedev

April 4, 2008

Novosti - Russia - Original Article (Russian)

MOSCOW: Those who followed the NATO Summit in Bucharest had every reason to expect a "second Munich" - that is, another statement by President Vladimir Putin explaining exactly what he thinks about the attitude toward Russia held by the part of the world generally referred to as the "West."

[Editor's Note: In his speech to the Munich Conference on Security Policy last year, President Putin said, among other things, "One state and, of course, first and foremost, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way. This is visible in the economic, political, cultural and educational policies it imposes on other nations. Well, who likes this? Who is happy about this? And of course this is extremely dangerous. The result of this is that no one feels safe. I want to emphasize this no one feels safe! Because no one feels that international law is like a stone wall that will protect them! [Read Putin Tells off the United States from February, 2007 ]."

But there was no Munich speech in Bucharest - and none had been planned. The fact is that this time, in his last address to a major international forum as President of Russia, Putin intended to balance his words of displeasure with NATO's actions with Russian suggestions about what direction he would like Russian relations with NATO to take WATCH .

Another point one could make is that unlike Bucharest, the Munich conference was a relatively open forum. This time, the text of Putin's speech was of a different genre, since Putin was addressing a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council. Of course, Putin's presence turned the meeting into a separate summit. Beforehand, the audience was groping for ever grain of information about Putin's speech. One of the sources of these grains was NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; other sources were members of the Russian delegation.

So what did the Russian president say? The second half of his speech dealt with Moscow's discontent. He called the extension of the Alliance a "direct threat to Russia" (These are very serious words). Russia has no right of veto here and doesn't seek one. But even the concerns of states without vetoes should be able to register their concerns. NATO cannot ensure its own security at the expense of the security of other nations, including Russia. NATO is a military alliance, and thus in the military sphere, it must display restraint. Upon the further approach of NATO toward Russia's borders, Moscow will respond with all "necessary measures." Russia has been repeatedly confronted with violations of international law - it's enough to mention the bombing of Yugoslavia and the unilateral recognition of Kosovo.

[Editor's Note: Putin said in part, "We view the appearance of a powerful military bloc on our borders, a bloc whose members are subject in part to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty , as a direct threat to the security of our country. The claim that this process is not directed against Russia will not suffice. National security is not based on promises. And the statements made prior to the bloc's previous waves of expansion simply confirm this "].

As we can see, there was nothing sensational in this. It was all quite obvious. Now let's turn to the first half of the speech, where Putin stretched out Russia's hand to NATO. He said that Russia, after having suspended the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) last December, is ready to return to the treaty on the basis of reciprocity from other countries.

He said that the Iranian problem should be resolved on the basis of transparency - since hardly anyone can seriously imagine Iran attacking the United States [reference to the U.S. missile shield to be built in Europe]. Rather than shoving the Iranians into a corner, Putin believes another approach must be found. Putin said NATO and Russia could cooperate on Afghanistan and he praised the participation of Russian warships of the Black Sea Fleet in Operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean, recalling Moscow's cooperation with the Alliance - which he said has been a conscious choice.

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That's about all there was to it - or at least the main points. This isn’t in the slightest degree sensation, since Russia has been saying these things to NATO for a number of years. But n the past, NATO has turned a deaf ear to them and treated them as empty words, as Russia has watched the implacable movement of NATO's military machine toward its borders.

While Moscow can't complain about the decisions taken at the Bucharest summit, it can't celebrate either. Because the deferral of the decision to allow Ukraine and Georgia to begin the process of entering NATO is just a token one. This process is set to resume in December. Comments by Secretary General Scheffer about NATO's inevitable expansion are also important, and the Alliance's decision to regard the missile defense system not as an American idea imposed on Europe, but as NATO's own brainchild, is a serious symptom of the problem.

The Bucharest summit has shown that NATO - or Europe and the West in general, is in more difficulty that it at first appeared. The admission of Muslim Albania into NATO is part and parcel of the conflict between the Muslim World and the West, and a solution is nowhere in sight. The well-concealed disagreements about the participation of NATO members in operations in Afghanistan demonstrate the failure of the military Alliance, and its ambiguous position as an accessory to the American war machine.

Those who say that the Bucharest Summit shows that NATO is in crisis are correct. NATO is beset with ever-accumulating problems: In spite of the change in leaders for Paris and Berlin, Iraq has led to a loss of confidence toward Washington; the complex relations between Poland and Germany or Greece and Macedonian remain complex; NATO is reluctant to aggravate relations with Russia's President-Elect Dmitry Medvedev; and for a huge variety of reasons, Ukraine and Georgia have been found "unfit" for NATO entry.

It's clear that today, it's hard to be an American or a European. For several centuries, Western civilization nurtured illusions about its eternal leadership and dominance on this planet, and the subordinate role of all other civilizations and continents. But this era is at an end, and it's time for the West to adapt to new realities. 

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But until that "adjustment" comes, it looks like looks like there will first be a panic over the imminent invasion by "the hoards" against the West's poorly enforced fortress: Everyone capable of holding a weapon are to get inside the fortress and the bridge should be lifted. There's no point in reacting to the signals from the alien hoard outside - no matter what they might have to say or offer.

This is how NATO behaved toward Russia under Boris Yeltsin, and similarly, Vladimir Putin. When it comes to relations with Russia, NATO's internal difficulties don’t seem to matter. NATO has never listened to Russia. NATO didn't listen before, and it isn’t listening now. Incidentally, this was the argument put forward by those in Moscow who opposed Putin's visit to Bucharest. But despite the skepticism, the side that thought it necessary for him to go prevailed.

This is why there was no "new Munich" in Bucharest - one was enough.

[Editor's Note: Reporters Without Borders rates the Russian media as "Situation Difficult "].

READ ALSO:

Kommersant, Russia

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http://worldmeets.us/kommersant000035.shtml

Kommersant, Russia

NATO's 'Blockade'

of President Putin

http://worldmeets.us/kommersant000033.shtml

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[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US April 7, 11:09am]