#5
strana.ru
October 24, 2001
Sergey Markov: Society Writes Mandate for Putin Bush-Putin
summit of unprecedented importance
By Sergey Markov
The next meeting of our Club is shaping up to become one of its most important to date. It is being held between two meetings of the Presidents of Russia and the United States - between Shanghai and Texas.
The forthcoming meeting of the two presidents is of exceptional importance. It will set the framework for a new world security system for the next few years.
As is obvious, the security system based on bipolar confrontation is now a thing of the past, and the institutions that used to keep it going do not work. NATO, specifically, no longer has enough authority nor can it work effectively.
A collective security system is an exceptionally necessary thing, because the world has, in effect, become involved in a new type of war. Moreover, it is precisely security problems that have moved to the fore, taking precedence over all others. The Russian leadership has on the whole realized this fact. Today, the United States should be regarded as a strategic ally of the type it was during World War II.
Much has been done already. Russia has passed all reconnaissance data, assisted the opening of airspace for U.S. flights; it has also phased out the electronic reconnaissance base, specifically in Cuba. Russia is giving diplomatic and political support to the United States and supplying weapons to the Northern Alliance.
Mr. Bush has realized that it is necessary to meet Russia halfway. He has realized the obvious necessity of a strategic partnership with Russia. But this brings up the following question: What will the U.S. offer to Russia? So far there is no reply. But it must be formulated.
I think, during their talks in Shanghai, Putin and Bush came to the understanding of the need for cooperation. This understanding is likely to take the final shape in the course of their meeting in Texas.
It is there that the new world security system will be formed. But on what basis will it be? Mr. Putin, as far as I understand, still has no answer. He is facing a hugely complicated task.
While meeting at the Club, we intend to formulate a public mandate for Mr. Putin on what a world security system should be like. Bush and Putin are two world leaders, who are able to shape it. What demands should Russia put forward? This point will be discussed during the public debates. The Russian public will hammer out a common point of view and we hope that point of view will be at the base of Mr. Putin's political positions at his talks with Mr. Bush.
Mr. Bush, let us say it plainly, is also in a very difficult situation. There are opponents of his policy of strategic partnership with Russia. And he is due to adopt an exceptionally difficult decision.
If the Texas meeting fails, the chances that world terrorism will be isolated behind a firm barrier and a real fight will start against it are practically nil.
If the meeting fails to take place, it will mean that as a politician Mr. Bush has been a disaster and that the system is not in place. I am horrified thinking what it may and will entail.
From my point of view, it is necessary to form a new antiterrorist coalition, modeled on the anti-Hitler coalition, on the basis of NATO, but it will be a different organization. In that coalition, Russia must take a leading position along with the United States.
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