Russia: Neutral Finland could promote new security treaty

Foreign Minister Lavrov says relations with EU soon back to normal

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By Susanna Niinivaara
     
     Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that relations between Russia and the European Union are getting back to normal. However, he sees the role of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe to have shrunk in the wake of the war with Georgia. He adds that Russia is seriously promoting a new security pact for Europe.
     These were among the answers that Foreign Minister Lavrov gave to questions put to him in Moscow by Helsingin Sanomat.
     Lavrov’s thoughts give some indication of the prevailing atmosphere that is to be expected when he meets with Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) in Moscow on Tuesday.
     The week is expected to be a rather intense one in contacts between Finland and Russia. On Wednesday, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) will meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
     
Lavrov was asked by Helsingin Sanomat to assess how the war in Georgia would affect relations between the EU and Russia. The European Union has, among other things, frozen negotiations on a new partnership agreement between the EU and Russia.
     According to Lavrov, the situation is getting back to normal.
     “Judging from everything, passions have eased somewhat. We received messages according to which the EU is ready to continue cooperation, and to deal with issues ‘as normal’. Some steps have already been taken, such as a signed treaty on Russian participation in an EU military operation in Chad and in the Central African Republic”, he says.
     According to Lavrov, Russia will deepen its relations with Europe specifically in the area of security.
     
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has often spoken of the need to create a new “European security architecture”. This has generally been linked with Russia’s opposition to the expansion of NATO.
     According to Lavrov, the shortcomings of the present system have become clear during the war in Georgia.
     “[Georgian President] Mikhail Saakashvili’s military adventure was not prevented. On the contrary, the course of events was influenced by encouraging the Georgian leadership politically and by delivering weapons to Georgia.”
     
Lavrov says that block thinking needs to be eliminated, as it makes it more difficult for Russia to operate in the NATO Council.
      “No matter what important question is dealt with, our partners grouped themselves in a battle pattern stemming from an internal discipline born of block thinking.”
     “As a result of the situation, we were not able at the NATO summit in Bucharest, even to approve a joint declaration, which would have affirmed the principle that nobody can guarantee their own security at the expense of the security of others.”
     Lavrov says that the new European security treaty put forward by Russia needs to be balanced, and it must not exclude anyone.
     In his view, its principles should be multipolarity and respect for international law.
     
In his view the UN needs to have a central role.
     “Such a system could unite the whole Euro-Atlantic world on the basis of common rules of the game, and resolve security problems for many years ahead.”
      According to Lavrov, a new system is not aimed at NATO. On the contrary, he says that all organisations operating in the field of Euro-Atlantic security would be welcome into it.
     However, NATO would be the reason why such a new treaty is seen as necessary.
     “In drawing up the treaty, all problematic questions need to be taken into consideration: the eastward expansion of NATO, the deployment of parts of the US missile defence system in Eastern Europe, the crisis over the limitation of conventional weapons in Europe, the Kosovo question, the attempt to create new dividing lines in our continent.”
     
What might Finland’s role be in this new security system? Lavrov particularly raised the fact that Finland is not militarily aligned.
     “The answer is obvious: by serving as an expert, making constructive proposals on the implementation of treaties. The help of a country like Finland, a respected European and neutral country, in starting the international discussion could be important for the necessary and creative work.”
     Finland is currently the holder of the Chairmanship of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and was in this role during the August war.
     
Lavrov notes that although Stubb actively took part in shuttle diplomacy, the OSCE nevertheless showed its lack of efficiency.
     “It was not able to prevent Georgia’s barbaric attack against the residents of South Ossetia and Russian border guards, and not even to assess the situation correctly.”
     According to Lavrov, the European countries were left “hostages of marginalisation of the crisis in the OSCE and the international significance of the organisation”. He believes that at the Helsinki foreign ministers’ meeting, in December it will become clear in what direction the organisation is to be developed.
     “The foreign ministers’ meeting will give all of us the possibility to understand what kinds of developments are going strong in the organisation - constructive or destructive ones. that can be seen from how ready the OSCE is to handle President Medvedev’s initiatives for a European security agreement.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 9.11.2008


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Stubb to Lavrov: “Finland is not neutral” (10.11.2008)

SUSANNA NIINIVAARA / Helsingin Sanomat
susanna.niinivaara@hs.fi