#8
Rossiiskaya Gazeta
May 22, 2003
COURTESY LESSONS
New arms: trust should be mutual
US-Russia defense cooperation: moving beyond the war in Iraq
Author: Vladimir Bogdanov
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]

DEFENSE MINISTER SERGEI IVANOV IS CURRENTLY VISITING WASHINGTON, WHERE HE WILL DISCUSS RUSSIAN-AMERICAN MILITARY COOPERATION. HE SAYS RUSSIA IS READY FOR A DIALOGUE WITH THE UNITED STATES ON BILATERAL COOPERATION IN THE SPHERE OF MISSILE DEFENSE.

During a brief stopover in Honolulu, Hawaii, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov mentioned that Russia is ready for a dialogue with the United States on bilateral cooperation in the sphere of missile defense. "We are ready to discuss these matters with the United States, but we have some conditions," Ivanov said. "We do not want our cooperation to be used against each other; we want each side to retain its intellectual property. We do not want militarization of space, and we want transparency between our countries in the sphere of missile defense."

Ivanov emphasized that the United States was the only nation whose work on a missile defense system is viewed with concern by Moscow. "Other countries do not worry us here," he said.

Ivanov stressed the difference between Russia-NATO cooperation on tactical missile defense and Russian-American cooperation on strategic missile defense. "Our bilateral cooperation with the United States on missile defense is completely different from missile defense systems meant for a theater of operations," Ivanov said, noting the lack of any noticeable progress (by either side) in cooperation on missile defense. "The whole process will take decades, at least," Ivanov said. According to the minister, the long-term nature of cooperation with America in missile defense is one of the major criteria for Russia. It follows that cooperation and trust should be long-term and mutual as well.

Ivanov told journalists that a Russian-American group was working on a document needed to specify implementation mechanisms for the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty signed by our presidents last May.

The White House announced yesterday that the United States planned to "begin deploying some components of the missile defense system" in 2004. The decision is attributed to the global security situation and "progress made in the sphere of missile defense."

The announcement also indicates that the United States and its allies will work on perfecting early warning radars. The effectiveness of the missile defense system may be improved by aircraft-mounted lasers, high altitude defense systems, anti-missiles intercepting ICBMs at the acceleration and midway stages of their trajectories, and space defense systems.

Official Washington recognizes the need for international cooperation in the sphere of missile defense. "Cooperation on missile defense will be an element of America's relations with its old and close friends, and an important means of constructing relations with new friends as well, like Russia," according to the announcement.

Washington is even prepared to amend its existing restrictions on missile technology exports to prevent them from impeding international cooperation.

Commenting on potential results of the talks now starting in Washington, Sergei Oznobischev of the Strategic Assessments Institute said that the results will become public knowledge, because they concern such a vital and urgent issue (nuclear disarmament). Secondly, the very fact that these talks are taking place is extremly important. ""The talks are highly important because we are leaving behind the political crisis in relations with the United States generated by the war in Iraq," Oznobischev said. "We repeat that we are ready for partnership. It may also be added that there will be neither partnership nor progress without mutual trust in the military- political sphere. In my view, Moscow and Washington are finally aiming to reach specific agreements meant to alleviate mutual concerns, primarily Russia's concerns over America's planned national missile defense system."

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