13.11.2007
Russian Foreign Policy in Review
October/November, 2007The following resource is meant to quickly introduce the reader to international political issues involving Russia - ranging from the middle east to arms control to Russia's new claims on the Arctic Ocean. This news review is part of SRAS's monthly "obzor" publications. For more reviews, see the newsletter for this corresponding month. To receive the free monthly newsletter and obzori by email, simply sign up. Issues - Missile Defense Crisis in Russian-U.S. relations spells trouble for Europe
No one would profit in the event of such confrontation; and Europe would be the main loser if Russia withdrew form the INF Treaty and retargeted its nuclear-tipped missiles at U.S. missile defense elements in Europe. Nations Slated to Host U.S. Missile System Skeptical
U.S. measures proposed with Moscow in mind leave many in Warsaw and Prague feeling they, the potential hosts of the military hardware, are pawns in a familiar bilateral game. No Russians please, say Czechs
Senior Czech politicians are angry over Washington's suggestion that Russians be allowed to staff a radar station in the former Soviet satellite. U.S. Won't Offer Russia More on Anti-Missile Shield, Gates Says
The U.S. has done as much as it can to appease Russia over its plans to deploy a missile defense system in eastern Europe, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. Russian military expert says U.S. to stick to missile plans
"I am not optimistic about the ministerial meeting [between the respective foreign and defense ministers]," said Colonel General Viktor Yesin, the former chief of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Main Staff. Issues - Rice Visits Moscow Briefing En Route Moscow by Rice
We’re on our way to Moscow. And the purpose of this is to continue the discussions about the North Korea nuclear test and adherence to Resolution 1718. Condoleezza Rice Interview With Sergey Brilev of RTR TV
I don't think we have to get into a situation in which we go back to threats against one another. There is, I am quite certain, a cooperative path that can be pursued, if we wish to do so. State Dept. Briefing
We have finished up an intensive day of work with the Russians, including Secretaries Rice and Gate's meeting with President Putin at his dacha outside Moscow, intensive sessions between the Defense and Foreign Ministers of Russia and the United States, side meetings of experts and ending with the press conference, as you saw. Putin's Opening Remarks
The President of the United States and I had agreed that we would maintain constant contact on these issues and your meetings show that our agreements are being implemented. Issues - The Arctic Russia's Race for the Arctic and the New Geopolitics of the North Pole.
Lecture by Dr. Pavel K. Baev, a Research Professor at the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo. Video Available. Who Owns the Arctic? It depends on the shape of the ocean floor
The New York Times reported Friday that the U.S. Coast Guard is planning to establish its first Arctic base at an outpost in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point on the U.S. mainland. New wrestling bout over the Arctic
A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower is a unified United States' maritime strategy that explains the comprehensive role of the sea services, and is very concerned with the Arctic. US–Russia Relations Russian, U.S. experts to play war games in Moscow
On Tuesday, Ground Forces units were joined by Air Force and Navy units in a combined-forces anti-terrorism exercise, an Air Force spokesman said. Nuclear Foolishness
U.S.-Russian acrimony blocks the cooperation needed to limit the spread of perilous materials. 1/3 of Russians say CIA is terrorist organization
Nearly a third of Russians said United States' Central Intelligence Agency is a terrorist organization, according to a poll by the Levada Centre. 32 percent of respondents say it isn't, and 39 percent had no opinion. Why The Kremlin Likes The CIA
A recent "special report" by Rossiya television charged bluntly that the CIA was responsible for "velvet revolutions" in Serbia and Montenegro, Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan -- and that now it has set its sights on Russia. Russia, U.S. call on all countries to join INF Treaty
Two weeks ago Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia could pull out of the U.S.-Russian arms reductions treaty, unless it was expanded to impose restrictions on other countries as well. The CFE for the Elections
The United States offers Russia a deal that's hard to refuse. Will the West do a deal and recognize Russia's elections as valid? White House concerned on Russia election observers
The White House, which has criticized Russia for backsliding on democracy, said on Wednesday it was concerned and disappointed Moscow had cut the number of international observers for parliamentary elections. Lugar Offers Agenda for Bush and Putin Meeting
Says much can be accomplished before elections in respective countries. Russia-EU Relations France's Sarkozy Takes Critical Stand On First Trip To Moscow
President Sarkozy even used the word, there's a certain "brutalization" of Russian politics. Putin Q&A following the 20th Russia-European Union Summit
We are also pleased with the outcome of the 20th EU-Russia summit. It was conducted in a genuinely constructive environment and a friendly atmosphere. And, in my opinion, it was useful and productive. From Soviet "Peace" Fronts to Russian "Human Rights" Organizations in Europe
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced plans to create an “Institute for Freedom and Democracy in Europe,” with Russian funding. Summit for the Sake of Tradition
The meeting is likely to make a step backward in EU-Russia relations. Poisoned ex-Russian spy Litvinenko WAS a paid-up MI6 agent
Alexander Litvinenko was receiving a retainer of around £2,000 a month from the British security services at the time he was murdered. Seize the Opportunity with Russia on Kosovo
President Putin has seized the dispute over Kosovo's final status as one more means of reasserting Russia's global authority. But he has overplayed his hand. Russia dismisses 'hysteric' complaints in gas row
Gazprom said last week it might reduce gas supplies to Ukraine if the country failed to repay a $1.3 billion debt for earlier deliveries. Russia-Iran Relations Putin Denounces "Madman With Knife"
"To run around like a madman waving a knife is not the best way forward,'' Putin said in response to a reporter's question on new US sanction on Iran. Our President in Tehran
Russia's mediation efforts in the conflict between America and Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei Receives President Putin
The ayatollah did not know that Putin was meeting today with the main enemy of the Iranian people, the head of the state that the Iranian leadership would like to see wiped off the map. An Odd Threat Against Putin
Interfax news service reported on Sunday that Moscow had learned that a group of suicide bombers was planning to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tehran. Putin's Interview with Iranian News
Russia and Iran are indeed friendly neighbours. Our peoples are the bearers of ancient cultures that have interacted with each other over the course of centuries. Russia-China Relations The Sino-Russian embrace leaves the US out in the cold
Some 24% of Russians fear clashes with America in the near future. Only 4% see a chance of that with China. China positions no threat for Russia
"In Soviet times our machinery products made a huge percentage of exports to China but nowadays machinery export hardly makes 1.4 percent while 30 percent of Chinese export to Russia is technologically advanced products." Russia and China’s challenge for the west.
The fact that they are doing well – without embracing liberal democracy – leads to an increasingly confident rejection of western political models. Military, Spies Securing Russian Nuclear Missiles? U.S. Is Set to Say "Done"
The program to improve the security at 25 classified sites on 12 Russian bases... will have been finished two years ahead of schedule. Russia urges rest of foreign aid to destroy chemical weapons
Western states have only provided 25% of $2 billion promised to help Russia destroy its stockpiles of chemical weapons by 2012, a deputy head of the federal industry agency said on Wednesday. Army Reform. Looking back on eight years of the Russian army reform
Vladimir Putin repeatedly underscored it during his first years in office that the war in Chechnya had shown that Russia’s national security is facing dramatically new challenges. Russia could quickly resume missile output: general
The Kremlin is pushing to rewrite a Cold War treaty that limits such missiles by including countries other than ex-Soviet nations and the United States. Call for Navy HQ To Return to City
Experts, however, have poured cold water on Gryzlov’s idea, RBC news said. Spy Chief: West Wants to Split Russia
Nikolai Patrushev, who heads the Federal Security Service, the main KGB successor agency, also claimed that foreign spies were working to foment discontent in Russia in the run-up to December's parliamentary elections and the presidential vote next spring. Russia intercepted over 300 foreign spies in past 4 years
The FSB chief said foreign intelligence services were particularly interested in the state of affairs and progress of reforms in Russia's Armed Forces, including the strategic missile forces. Putin says Russia won't be dictated to over arms exports
Putin also said deliveries of Russian weapons are aimed exclusively at increasing the defense capability of the countries receiving them, and at maintaining their stability.
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