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RESET AT THE EXPENSE OF RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS?
MARIA YULIKOVA,
PhD in Journalism, Fletcher School of International Affairs, Tufts University, USA
On April 1, 2009 Baraсk Obama met with the Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev to establish agenda for the future bilateral cooperation. Although the presidents agreed on a number of critical issues, the human rights violations and lack of rule of law in Russia were obviously put aside.
The meeting of the U.S. and Russian presidents in London last week cause mixed feelings. Any negotiation after a long period of mutual negligence is definitely positive. Reducing the two countries’ nuclear arsenals gives hope for improvement of bilateral relations in other areas of mutual cooperation. Nevertheless, the agreements ignore the current political regime in Russia, including the rule of law and human rights.
In their joint statement, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev announced that they were ready to cooperate in “a spirit of mutual respect”. The two leaders agreed to work together to oppose nuclear proliferation (especially in Iran and North Korea), to resolve regional conflicts, to fight organized crime, corruption, narcotics, and terrorism (especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan), to strengthen Euro-Atlantic and European security, and to cooperate in fixing the economic crisis, as well as in science, business, culture and education. The primary results of the meeting were the decisions to launch negotiations for a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and to promote Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The two leaders also declared that they were moving “beyond Cold War mentalities and charting a fresh start” in relations between the U.S.A. and Russia. Obama accepted Medvedev’s invitation to come to Moscow in July.
So, in which way will these relations be “fresh”?
By the end of George Bush’s presidency, there was virtually no communication between the leaders of the two countries. The main cause of this was the Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008. The other major areas of disagreement were U.S. plans to deploy a global missile defense system in Eastern Europe and to push NATO eastward, towards Russia’s borders. The United States’ refusal to ratify the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe created another barrier between Russia and the U.S.A. As a result, the Bush’s Administration ignored Russia, and all its initiatives, and the Putin-Medvedev government instigated nationalist, anti-American sentiments within the Russian society.
The White House made the first move towards better relations. In January, new American president sent a letter to Medvedev, expressing hope for improvement of U.S.-Russian cooperation. Obama also suggested that the U.S. might end its missile shield project in Eastern Europe if Russia helps end Iran’s nuclear arms projects. At the same time NATO decided not to rush to extend membership to neighboring Russia Georgia and Ukraine. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, pushing a symbolic “reset” button.
Yet, Russian leadership did not respond clearly to these positive suggestions. President Medvedev just expressed hope for better future and doubts about the deal concerning Iran and the missile defense shield. Moreover, Russia’s support for Kyrgyzstan’s decision to close the U.S. air base, used to supply American troops in Afghanistan, prompted doubts about the positive perspective of the U.S.-Russia relations.
Last week, Obama and Medvedev supposedly managed to overcome mutual misconceptions and disagreements. However, for the moment, they just claimed that they would cooperate. The two presidents must still prove that they are capable of solving problems and reaching agreements.
Meanwhile, it is obvious that the leaders reached a consensus avoiding discussion of human rights and rule of law in Russia. Just on the eve of the presidents’ meeting in London, three unidentified men attacked and injuredthe prominent Moscow opposition activist Lev Ponomarev; let alone the recent attack on the prominent Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, the murder of the designer from the oppositional newspaper in the Moscow suburb, and numerous other cases of brutal violations of human rights in Russia.
The U.S. and Russian presidents’ declaration of “tolerance for different views” on the rule of law, respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights suggests that the totalitarian nature of the current Russian regime may not bother Obama’s Administration.
April 8, 2009
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