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09.07.2009 Foreign Policy in Review June-July, 2009 The following resource is meant to quickly introduce the reader to Russia's relations with other countries (excluding most of Eurasia, which has its own review). For more news reviews, see the newsletter for this corresponding month. To receive SRAS's free monthly newsletter and obzori by email, simply sign up.    After years of seeking superpower status, Russia is finally settling into its role in the new world order The basic answer is that Moscow, after years of trying unsuccessfully to reclaim its superpower status, has concluded that a new system is needed. Of course, a greatly weakened Russia is in no position to coauthor, with the United States, a new geopolitics. But it can initiate a conversation meant to transcend the asymmetries and tensions of the past two decades -- tensions that were manageable until recently but no longer appear so.   Arctic Russia Will Protect Its Interests In Arctic Russia will defend its interests in the Arctic amid the race for the region's energy riches, a Russian official said June 10, while dismissing the possibility of open conflict over the far north. Russian envoy backs warmer ties with Arctic nations Arctic nations must cease their posturing for control of the icy north and "act collectively" to tap its purported vast undiscovered resource riches.   Asia Putin Hints At Japan Island Dispute Compromise, But Says Law On Russia's Side Russia's position on the problem of the South Kuril Islands is impeccable, but Moscow wants to build friendly relations with Japan. When Giants Meet Chinese President Hu Jintao's official visit to Russia heralds the significant strides the neighboring giants have made in bilateral relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian-Chinese relations hinge on delicate balance of interests There is no denying that the Chinese are wonderfully decorous. President Hu Jintao, currently in Moscow on a state visit, was so tactful in reminding that the Chinese offshoot of the East Siberia – Pacific Ocean Coast oil pipeline should be completed on time that now there is no doubt that it will. China becomes Russia's leading trade partner Despite  a  decline in trade with Russia, China became Russia's leading trade partner in 2009, the Russian Economic Development Ministry said in a document circulated in Moscow on Wednesday, in the run-up to Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Russia. Hu to visit Russia for BRIC summit Chinese President Hu Jintao will travel to Russia next week for the first summit of leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, the so-called BRIC group of rapidly developing economies.   Europe Russia defends idea of new security plan for Europe Russia on Tuesday defended its proposal for a new security structure in Europe and said it was not aimed at undercutting the U.S.-led NATO alliance, but rather at banishing division on the continent. Energy fuels new 'Great Game' in Europe The giant Russian energy company, Gazprom, which controls the world's largest reserves of natural gas, has issued a stark warning to the European Union saying it must decide if it wants to continue receiving supplies of Russian gas.   Iran Russia hosts key summit with Ahmadinejad in attendance Iran's under-fire President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday joined an array of world leaders at a regional summit in Russia, defiantly declaring that the age of empires had ended.   Middle East Medvedev Calls for Moscow Summit on Middle East Peace Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he has secured the support of Israel and all other involved parties for Middle East peace talks, as he seeks to boost his country's influence in the region.   Military Russia Triples Amount Of Arms Exports Since 2000 Russia has almost tripled arms exports since 2000, Rosoboronexport department head Valery Varlamov told Interfax-AVN. "Russia exported about $3 billion worth of armaments and military hardware in 2000. The overall exports amounted to more than $8.3 billion in 2008." Russia implements its most radical military reform in 200 years On June 5 the Russian Chief of the General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister Army-General Nikolai Makarov gave an important press conference. Makarov began with a two hour statement on military reform, followed by a slide show involving almost 30 slides, dazzling journalists with a deluge of facts and figures. Russia's radical military reform agenda has recently provoked growing criticism. Russia's old weapons far cry from shiny exports Russia lavished medals on its military last year after war with tiny Georgia took just five days to win, but the Kremlin's ceremonies did little to conceal the need to modernise its forces and defence equipment. Russian Military Cuts Leave Soldiers Adrift The dismal condition of the assigned housing for the officers is a telling sign of the state of the armed forces nearly two decades after the Soviet Union's fall.   Missiles Russia to improve missile defense penetration capability by 2016 Russia plans by 2016 to improve the ability of its range of ballistic missiles to overcome missile defenses, the Strategic Missile Forces. Russia snubs U.S. call to consider hosting radar Russia on Thursday spurned an offer from the United States to participate closely in its planned European anti-missile system, instead urging Washington to drop its proposals and start afresh.   NATO, WTO, ETC. Russia says WTO plan not 'new start' to talks Moscow's plan to unite its World Trade Organization accession bid with that of Kazakhstan and Belarus doesn't represent a new start in negotiations to the trade group. NATO-Russia foreign ministers meet Foreign ministers of NATO and Russia meet on Saturday for the first time since last year's war between Russia and Georgia, which caused the alliance to freeze ties with the Kremlin. NATO Restores Ties With Russia NATO and Russia have agreed to resume military ties in their first high-level meeting since Russia's war with Georgia disrupted their relations 10 months ago. WTO in confusion after Russia customs union plan A week after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus would pursue their World Trade Organization memberships jointly as a customs union and not singly, WTO members remain uncertain how the plan would work and what its motives are. Russia and Western clubs. No thanks, Geneva Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, has broken with the ritual by announcing that, after 16 years of trying to get in, Russia no longer wants to join the WTO on its own but only as part of a customs union that it has forged with Belarus and Kazakhstan. Farewell to the WTO Last week Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus announced that they have completed talks on forming a customs union, and would therefore abandon their bids to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) as individual members, filing a collective membership. BRIC-à-Brac The leaders of the BRIC countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, and China -- hold their first stand-alone summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Tuesday, June 16. One can easily picture Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, who invented the "BRIC" term in 2001.   Treaties Arms Talks Ahead Of Obama Visit 'Constructive' Russia said on Thursday that talks with the United States on reducing vast arsenals of Cold War nuclear weapons were proceeding constructively. Russia wants US assurances on missile defense Russia is ready for deep cuts of strategic nuclear weapons in a new deal with the United States if the U.S. eases Moscow's concerns about plans for a missile defense system. Medvedev Ready for Deep Nuclear Arms Cuts Russia is ready to dramatically cut its nuclear stockpiles in a new arms pact with the United States if Washington meets Russia's concerns over missile defense. Will the Senate support new nuclear arms reductions President Barack Obama has an ambitious agenda on nuclear weapons issues that will take a long time to implement. For example, the earliest the Senate is likely to vote again on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is 2010. Russia says to ink U.S. military deal at summit Russia and the United States will sign deals on military cooperation when U.S. President Barack Obama visits Moscow next month. Russia to allow US military supplies to Afghanistan The Russian government has agreed to let U.S. troops and weapons bound for Afghanistan fly over Russian territory. U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace The United States and Russia are locked in a fundamental dispute over how to counter the growing threat of cyberwar attacks that could wreak havoc on computer systems and the Internet. Russia must avoid nuke cuts that could harm security Russia must not cut the number of its nuclear warheads to a few hundred under a new strategic arms deal with the U.S., as it needs to maintain superiority over developing countries' nuclear arsenals. Russia Military Chief Wants Limited Nuclear Cuts Russia should limit cuts to its strategic nuclear arsenal to a few hundred warheads in talks with the United States on a new arms control treaty. Russia might abandon nukes if others do Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is willing to abandon nuclear weapons, if the United States and all other countries that have them do the same.   US Russian mayors examine Mid-Hudson government Some mayors from the Russia visited SUNY New Paltz Wednesday to see our American municipalities function when the private sector is less stable. Issues and disputes that define US-Russia ties U.S. President Barack Obama will hold a summit with Russian leaders in Moscow next week seeking to "reset" relations that hit a post-Cold War low under his predecessor, George W. Bush. Russian experts more sceptical than US analysts about 'reset' of relations Russian political analysts are more skeptical than their U.S. counterparts that Russian-U.S. ties can be "reset" during President Barack Obama's July 6-8 visit to Moscow. Preparing for Trip to Russia, Obama Praises Putin's ProtÈgÈ, at Putin's Expense Mr. Obama distinguished Mr. Putin from President Dmitri A. Medvedev, his hand-picked successor, who was elected last year and is the object of much speculation, given the unusual power-sharing arrangement here. Unlike Mr. Putin, Mr. Obama said, Mr. Medvedev recognizes that it is time for the two cold war antagonists to put the past behind them. Obama meets his match in Russia But if Obama, more ambitiously, hopes to win over the hearts of the Russian people -- along the lines of his recent Cairo address, pitched over the heads of the governments of the Islamic world and straight at their citizenry -- he can expect to leave disappointed. Moscow, Washington should 'update' bilateral agenda U.S. and Russian negotiators have still not reached agreement on cutting stocks of their deadliest nuclear weapons ahead of President Barack Obama's first visit to Moscow. Russia stepping up security ahead of Obama visit Russia's security agencies and police are taking heightened security measures ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's first visit to Moscow. All the country's security bodies, as well as the Army and Air Force, will be engaged in efforts to ensure the U.S. leader's safety on July 6-8. Thousands of pro-Kremlin youth gather to remember war Stanford University's Michael McFaul is getting the rare opportunity to defy that stereotype by accompanying President Obama to Russia as the administration continues to try and reset its relationship with the Moscow regime. Gates Hopeful of Missile Defense Progress at US-Russia Summit U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says that when President Barack Obama visits Moscow next month, he may find increased interest in cooperation in the effort to defend Europe from a potential Iranian missile attack. For Obama Abroad, Moscow Is a Special Case When Barack Obama goes to Moscow early next month, his third major foreign trip since taking office, he'll be pressed to modify what's been an Obama Abroad pattern of scoring points with heady idealism and doses of expiation for what he considers America's past sins. An Israeli Cozies Up To Moscow Israel's new government has voiced its reservations about the United States' new policies under President Obama in both of those areas, so Mr. Lieberman's trip could easily be seen as a tactic — using his access in Russia to suggest that Israel might become less dependent on the United States and look to Moscow for support. Russia welcomes new U.S. Afghan policy Russia welcomes "increasingly transparent" U.S. policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan and sees new areas of cooperation with the West in settling the Afghan conflict. Washington is unable to call all the shots Challenging the American empire will be the focus of meetings in Yekaterinburg, Russia, today and tomorrow for Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other leaders of the six-nation Shanghai Co-operation Organisation. Shared Interests, Competing Values, and U.S.-Russian Relations As the Obama administration redirects U.S. policy on many fronts, the President's declaration of a fresh start for relations between the United States and Russia has significant implications for the management of many critical issue.   Study Politics in Russia The Library: Politics in Russia SRAS Resources for Teachers   Find out more! 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