Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov. (AFP Photo / Aamir Qureshi)
By: Robert Bridge
Source: Russia Today
http://rt.com/politics/west-russia-lavrov-nato-image-087/
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blames the “bloc thinking”
of Western countries for failing to adjust to the present realities.
"Unfortunately, the Euro-Atlantic military-political
processes are lagging behind the rapidly changing realities,” Lavrov said at
the Federation Council on Wednesday. “The political elites of a number of
Western countries are still obviously backsliding into bloc thinking."
"Certain politicians wish to reanimate the image of
a geopolitical adversary in the person of our country,” the minister
said, adding that such scare tactics helps to preserve “a strong
military-political bond between the United States and European NATO
members."
Although Lavrov did not mention Republican challenger for
the White House, Mitt Romney, by name, the comments seem too well-timed to be a
mere coincidence.
In March, Romney demonstrated the chasm that separates
Democrat and Republican thinking on foreign policy when he called Russia the “number
one geopolitical foe” of the United States. The comment recalled
antiquated Cold War rhetoric and showed that the so-called Russia-US reset is
just one presidential campaign away from irrelevancy.
"Cold War black-and-white thinking looks
increasingly absurd against the backdrop of profound and, I would even say,
tectonic shifts we are witnessing," Lavrov said.
The Russian minister suggested that the increase in
rhetoric being directed at Russia may have a lot to do with the “process of
division of power and influence…taking place on the global landscape,” which
sees the role of the Asia Pacific region increasing as it becomes a “major
driving force of economic development.”
Unfortunately, instead of western leaders looking to the
booming eastern economies as a means for escaping from the clutches of a
deepening economic recession, they are ratcheting up the rhetoric and spreading
fear.
Thus, it should come as no surprise that given the
frostiness in relations, the West is unwilling to sign a European security
treaty together with Russia.
"Alas, our Western partners are not prepared as yet
to accept the logic of implementing an indivisible security principle put forth
in fundamental documents from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) and the Russia-NATO Council," he noted.
Lavrov revealed that despite opposition on the part of
some foreign leaders, the Russian initiative “has triggered rather
energetic discussions on the possibilities and ways to upgrade the
Euro-Atlantic security model.”
The idea of bringing all European territory under one
security umbrella was first mentioned in 2008 by former Russia President Dmitry
Medvedev.
"I'm convinced that Europe's problems won't be
solved until its unity is established, an organic wholeness of all its integral
parts, including Russia," Medvedev said.
Indeed, it seems that until Europe frees itself from the
scourge of Cold War thinking, an atmosphere of mistrust will dominate the
region, with the United States able to manipulate the situation for strategic gain.
The most blatant example of Washington stepping into the
void left by the Cold War is witnessed by efforts to build a US missile defense
system in Eastern Europe, which threatens to destabilize the balance of forces
between the two former Cold War foes. Moscow has even warned that the system
threatens to spark another arms race.
Denied participation in the project, Russia insists on
receiving guarantees from NATO that the system will not be targeted against its
nuclear forces.
"Reliable guarantees based on clear and impartial
military-technical and geographic criteria that this system will not be
targeted against Russian nuclear deterrent forces are fundamentally important
for us," Lavrov stressed.
The minister said it was essential that Moscow is assured
that the purpose of the system is to defend against “missile threats emanating
from outside of the Euro-Atlantic region, that is, not from Russia."
Lavrov acknowledged that thus far the parties failed to
find a solution to this problem, but Russia is willing to continue dialogue.
The minister also mentioned Russia’s concern over NATO’s
increased military activity near Russia’s borders.
It is natural that we have questions concerning “increased
military activity near Russian borders, the modernization and approaching of
NATO's defence infrastructure and more frequent military exercises," Lavrov
said.
The purpose of these exercises is unclear, he added.
Finally, on the question of resolving global hotspots,
specifically in Syria and Iran, Russia will uphold the principles of the
Charter of the United Nations, Lavrov mentioned in his report.
"We will continue to resolutely insist on the
supremacy of law in international affairs," Lavrov pledged. "This
is how we will move forward in our efforts to address the situation in Syria,
the Iranian nuclear program and other crisis situations.”
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