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US, Russia Must Remain Allies, Congressman Says
Lawrence Morahan
Senior Staff Writer

Washington (CNSNews.com) - Despite opposition by Russian President Vladimir Putin to almost everything the United States proposes on Iraq, America nevertheless should continue to pursue a close relationship with Russia, a conservative lawmaker said.

There's too much at stake for both countries not to do everything they can to mend ties, which have been strained for years on a number of issues, said Rep. Curt Weldon (R.-Pa.).

"The bottom line is: Russia is going to be our long-term partner and friend, and we need to reassure the Russian people that we're not going to steer away from that direction," Weldon told CNSNews.com.

Russia also must have a role to play in energy development and the rebuilding of the Iraqi post-war economy and society, Weldon said.

"I think, in the end, it will all be resolved and, in fact, Russia and America will be cooperative partners in Iraq," he said.

After first angering the Bush administration by siding with France and Germany in refusing to support military action against Saddam Hussein, the Russian president this week further outraged the allies by saying he opposes lifting sanctions against Iraq.

The United States also is deeply concerned about allegations, which have not been proven, that the Russians cooperated with Iraqi intelligence during the war, Weldon said.

But analysts attending the World Russian Forum in Washington on Tuesday said Russia's opposition to the United States stems from a variety of issues, some of which remain unresolved.

Weldon cited the U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001, the expansion of NATO and ignoring Russia during the Kosovo conflict as contributing factors to the deterioration of relations in recent years.

"We didn't do a good job of helping Russia understand why NATO expansion would eventually be in Russia's long-term security interest," Weldon said in a keynote speech before the forum, sponsored by the Washington-based Russia House.

Moreover, the United States did not deliver the one thing Putin asked for and President Bush said he would give: the permanent exemption of Russia from the 1974 Jackson-Vanik Act.

Despite widespread support on the Hill, efforts to repeal Jackson-Vanik stalled in the Senate over the issue of U.S. poultry exports, Weldon said. Russia banned U.S. poultry products, citing health concerns related to salmonella and the antibiotics used by U.S. chicken farmers.

The Bush administration and Congress have enacted a waiver to grant Russia normal trade status on a year-by-year basis since 1994. However, a repeal of Jackson-Vanik, a bill that levies trade tariffs on countries that limit the emigration of their citizens, is seen as the next critical step in Russia's World Trade Organization acceptance process.

"So what did we give Putin? We didn't give him very much. Yes, George Bush reached out to him personally, and that's an important symbol, but what about the perception of the people in Russia?" Weldon asked. "In my opinion, they weren't seeing very much in the way of positive activity."

Weldon also saw room for cooperation between the United States and Russia on the issue of accounting for and securing weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Iraq's and Iran's WMD capability came from a destabilized Russia, which officially claims to have 40,000 metric tons of chemical weapons, including 60 strains of anthrax, smallpox, botulism, Ebola, sarin and other types of material produced by the Soviets.

"It's absolutely imperative that we pro-actively work with Russia to secure and eradicate their weapons of mass destruction," Weldon said.

The Pennsylvania Republican recently introduced legislation calling for an additional $330 million of spending for the Defense Department and Department of Energy to accelerate upgrades of nuclear storage facilities in Russia and to bolster security at nuclear reactors and other sites that could be targeted by terrorists.

In return, Weldon asked the Russians to open all the sites in Russia that have been off-limits to America for the past 10 years.

"I don't want any more excuses as to why we can't visit a particular site. If we're going to put this kind of a commitment in - $300 million on top of $1.3 billion that we're spending next year - then we want to see total transparency," Weldon said.

For its part, the Russian leadership is working with the United States to help resolve the North Korea crisis, including supporting a delegation to North Korea at the end of May.

A Russian energy cooperative is planning a Russia-Korea pipeline that will run from the Russian Far East through North Korea into South Korea, funded jointly by Russian energy companies and South Korea, Weldon said.

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