Positive changes in U.S. foreign policies bring clarity to NATO strategic cooperation with Russia
BRUSSELS, Belgium – Veering away from the harsh-tone rhetoric that had characterized NATO’s roller-coaster relationships with Russia in the past eight years under the Bush administration, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the alliance’s general secretary, allegedly sensing the new waves of goodwill towards Moscow from the Obama presidency, has suddenly discovered a myriad of vital issues, where the trans-Atlantic military alliance can and should cooperate more with the Kremlin to attain mutually beneficial goals and objectives, both bilaterally at the European level and on a broader geopolitical agenda on global security.
Addressing a meeting of NATO member-states foreign ministers in Brussels, Scheffer highlighted the important role that is being played by the alliance and Russia to ensure security both in Europe and across the globe. “Russia and NATO are playing very important roles in ensuring European and global security,” he added.
Apart from the NATO-Russian cooperation issues, other key topics on the summiteers’ agenda included the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan with the upcoming presidential elections, where Russia’s logistics aid to the alliance members has become more strategic than ever in terms of ensuring the success of the U.S.-led coalition over the war-tested Taliban guerilla fighters that have taken the whole of Afghanistan hostage. This yearning probably underscores the alliance’s decision to restore the formal relationships with Moscow that it broke off unilaterally following Russia’s use of overwhelming military powers to foil the brutal Georgian attacks on South Ossetia last August.
However, the change in tone in the NATO management also stemmed from the official pronouncements from the new U.S. administration. “It is time to explore a fresh start with Russia,” said Hilary Clinton, who debuted at the summit in her new capacity as the U.S. state secretary. "We can and must find ways to work constructively with Russia, where we share areas of common interest, including helping the people of Afghanistan."
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