NATO–Russia relations
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NATO-Russian relations cover the cooperation between NATO military alliance and Russia.
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Early cooperation (1991-2002)
Formal contacts and cooperation between Russia and NATO start in 1991, within the framework of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (later re-named Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council) and are further deepened as Russia joined the Partnership for Peace programme on June 22nd, 1994 [1]
On 27 May, 1997, at 1997 Paris summit of NATO, sides signed a Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security[2], a road map for future NATO-Russia cooperation. Both sides state they do not see each other as adversaries, and have political commitment to cooperate at creating "lasting and inclusive" peace in Euro-Atlantic area.
NATO–Russia Council
The NATO-Russia Council was created on 28 May 2002 during the 2002 NATO Summit in Rome, has been an official diplomatic tool for handling security issues and joint projects between NATO and Russia, involving "consensus-building, consultations, joint decisions and joint actions." [3] [4]
"Joint decisions and actions", taken under NATO-Russia Council agreements, include fighting terrorism[5][6], military cooperation (joint military exercises[7] and personnel training[8]), cooperation on Afghanistan (Russia providing training courses for anti-narcotics officers from Afghanistan and Central Asia countries in cooperation with the UN), transportation by Russia of non-military freight in support of NATO's ISAF in Afghanistan, industrial cooperation, cooperation on defence interoperability, non-proliferation, and other areas.[9]
Because NATO and Russia have similar ambitions and mutual challenges, the NATO-Russia Council is seen by both sides as effective at building diplomatic agreements between all parties involved since 2002. The heads of state for NATO Allies and Russia gave a positive assessment of NATO-Russia Council achievements in a Bucharest summit meeting in April 2008.[4]
Conflicts of interests
Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
The North Atlantic Council condemned Russia for recognizing the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia as independent states.[10] The Secretary General of NATO claimed that Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia violated numerous UN Security Council resolutions, including resolutions endorsed by Russia.[11]
Future enlargement plans of NATO to Ukraine and Georgia
The Russian Government is fiercely opposed to Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO.[12]
Missile defence in Central Europe
The Russian Government says that a US proposed missile defence system in Poland and Czech Republic could threaten its own defences. The system might start small, it says, but could expand. The radar could then be used to spy on Russia.[13]
Position of the NATO Secretary General
In September 2009 speech NATO Secretary General Rasmussen stated, that NATO and Russia are going to cooperate on such issues as the fight against terrorism and non-proliferation of WMDs. With that, NATO is going to stay and to continue its "open doors" policy [14]:
| “ | I do not believe that the enlargement of NATO and the European Union has created any security problems for Russia. On the contrary: A more stable and prosperous Europe is indeed contributing to the security of Russia. We also need to be realistic in recognising that NATO will continue its open door policy — not because of any intention to "encircle" or marginalise Russia, but because respect for territorial integrity and the right of each sovereign state to freely decide its security policy and alignments are fundamental if Europe is to be truly "whole and free". | ” |
References
- ^ Formal NATO-Russia Relations
- ^ Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation Paris, 27 May 1997
- ^ NATO-Russia council Statement
- ^ a b NATO's relations with Russia
- ^ NATO-Russia council on Terrorism
- ^ NATO-Russia to practise anti-terrorist response
- ^ RFS and NATO ships joint manoeuvres
- ^ Allies and Russia attend U.S. Nuclear Weapons Accident Exercise
- ^ Fact sheet of NATO-Russia Council practical cooperation
- ^ http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2008/p08-108e.html
- ^ http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2008/p08-107e.html
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7312045.stm
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6720153.stm
- ^ Speech of Rasmussen on September 2009
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Russia–NATO relations |
- (English) (Russian) (French) NATO-Russia council
- (English) (Russian) Permanent Mission of Russia to NATO
- (English) (Russian) (French) (Ukrainian) NATO-Russia relations
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