US Russian Relations

1
US - Russian Relations

• Legacy from Reagan to Bush in foreign policy was
  improved relations with Soviet Union collapse
  gave Bush opportunity to refashion foreign policy
• Two prior attempts to construct a partnership
  with SU
• post-1945 attempt by FDR to draw Soviets into a
  liberal-international world order
• Nixonian attempt at superpower détente

2
US - Russian Relations

• 1992 election Clinton argued that Bush had
  failed on 3 levels
• misjudged loyalty to Gorbachev failure to
  support Yeltshin early enough
• more concerned with preserving integrity of SU
  than in supporting cause of self-determination -
  betrayal of US principles going back to the
  Wilsonian tradition
• question of Aid Bush too cautious, what was
  needed was more material support - in US interest

3
US - Russian Relations

• First concern for Clinton presidency success of
  the reforms in Russia itself - need for a
  strategic alliance
• support of reform process - promote US
  investment, lay foundations for market economy
  success
• help in managing the transition from empire to
  self-determination contribution to international
  stability
• Russia still possessed a substantial nuclear
  arsenal imperative to prevent the spread of
  nuclear weapons

4
US - Russian Relations

• Issue of world order US's place in it
  Clinton's US neither willing or able to play
  world policeman
• Domestic reasons Clinton sensitive to the fact
  that a peaceful world was needed for domestic
  advances
• Little money actually appeared (1.6bln) to help
  the new Russia weakened his credibility left
  Russian allies exposed
• Main thrust of US policy to Russia no different
  to Bush, fuelled non-Russian suspicion of US
  motives

5
US - Russian Relations

• US strategy based on assumption that there was an
  identity of interest between Russia US on wider
  issues - taken to task by Yeltsin, Russia not be
  so compliant
• NATO expansion - no contradiction between desire
  to engage with Russia with to assure Eastern
  European states that they had a future in NATO
• Anti-reform vote in Russia in 1993 led to crisis
  in US - too much shock not enough therapy-
  criticised by the IMF, administration split
  between liberals monetarists - assurance of a
  Clinton visit to Moscow in Jan. 1994

6
US - Russian Relations

• Incessant criticism of Clinton's policy towards
  Russia - climax in Strobe Talbott's confirmation
  hearings as Deputy Sec. of State in in Feb. 94
• Strategy based on an over-optimistic set of
  assumptions on Russia's potential to become a
  stable, capitalist country not yet ready for
  partnership inclined to authoritarianism
• Change in policy - upgrade in relationship with
  Ukraine, linked with attempts to draw Russia
  closer to west - IMF loan of 1.5billion to
  Russia - support of reform program
• Invasion of Chechnya in 1994 increased tensions

7
US - Russian Relations

• Clintons second term concentrated on question of
  NATO-Russian relations NATO-Russia Founding Act
  1997 superseded by NATO-Russian Council 2002
• Aim was to work with a new Russia in bringing
  about the transformation of Europe as a whole
• United States embarked on a vast aid program to
  Russia aimed at propping up Yeltsin
• Criticised as evidence emerged of Russian
  transfer of ballistic missile technology to both
  Iran and Iraq

8
US - Russian Relations

• Kosovo episode put US/Russian relations and
  NATO/Russian relations under enormous strain
• For both US Russia in Clinton era there was a
  view that they be fundamentally co-operative as
  opposed to a fundamentally competitive
• Missile defence, Chechnya, Bosnia, NATO, and
  other disputes were about tools to be used to
  achieve what ought to have been seen as common
  goals, not about the goals themselves.

9
US - Russian Relations

• Relationship has been put under renewed strain
  since Bush presidency
• Repudiation of the Anti Ballistic missile treaty
• Dispute about combating the proliferation of
  weapons of mass destruction
• WTO Accession
• Current crisis over Iraq

10
US - Russian Relations

• U.S. Assistance to Russia Fiscal Year 2004
• The 880.38 million budgeted by all U.S.
  Government agencies programs in Russia is
  allocated roughly as follows
• Democracy Programs 45.43 ml
• Economic Social Reform 51.43 ml
• Security Law Enforcement 772.14 ml
  Humanitarian Assistance 5.60 ml
• Cross Sectoral Initiatives 5.79 ml
• Down from 1.1 billion in FY 1999

11
US - Russian Relations

• U.S. strategy for assistance to Russia is based
  on the premise that Russia's transition to a
  democratic, free-market system will be a
  long-term process
• Democratic reform programs are helping Russians
  develop the building blocks of a democratic
  society based on the rule of law by providing
  support to NGOs, independent media, the judiciary
  

12
US - Russian Relations

• Principal aim is to reduce strategic arsenals.
  U.S. and Russian missiles no longer targeted at
  the others homeland, and have become strong
  allies in the global war on terrorism
• The U.S.-Russia Counterterrorism Working Group
  (CTWG) provides a framework for cooperation on a
  wide range of issues including intelligence
  sharing, aviation security, and terrorist
  financing
• Russia shares USs basic goal of stemming the
  proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and
  the means to deliver them

13
US - Russian Relations

• US is working with Russia to compel Iran to bring
  its nuclear programs into compliance with IAEA
  rules.
• On North Korea, Russia is playing a productive
  role in organizing and carrying out the six-party
  talks aimed at the complete, verifiable and
  irreversible dismantling of North Koreas nuclear
  program
• For US,Russia is an important partner in the
  Middle East Peace Process "Quartet" (along with
  the UN and the EU).

14
US - Russian Relations

• NATO-Russia Council established in 2003, has
  become a major accomplishment in Russia-NATO
  relations
• Russia now interacts with NATO members as an
  equal but without veto power over NATO decisions
• WTO accession still a major difficulty Working
  party on Russia accession in place since 1993 _
  US believes that Russia hasnt adopted to market
  rules sufficiently enough