Samenwerking EU, VS en Rusland

The Obama Administration should present a united front with Europe, because division within the West invites Russia to assert itself. It must also find ways to address Russia's perception of the last twenty years as a continual humiliation. Above all, in shaping its policies, it should draw on the lesson of the EU itself: The recipe for this part of Europe in the 21st Century is inclusion. Deze stelling wordt verdedigd door Jim O'Brien - voormalig presidentieel gezant in de Balkan - en Alexandros Yannis - gastdocent aan de Fletcher School en tot voor kort actief in het buitenlands beleid van de EU voor de Balkan en de Kaukasus. Ze stellen in "EU and US should co-operate with Russia" vier facetten van samenwerking voor:

The need to build an inclusive security architecture. Russia is concerned about its southern border and has resorted to 19th Century sphere-of-influence rhetoric and tactics. Such a formulation must be opposed resolutely. [...] The best alternative is to reshape security relations between US, EU and Russia along a political and security architecture which can accommodate the interests of all three actors in the direction of a security community that fully involves Russia as an equal partner and builds enduring trust. [...] Turkey's latest proposal for a Caucasus Stability and Co-operation Platform could be useful as a basis for bringing together the necessary voices in the Caucasus. The success of another local initiative, the Southeast European Co-operation Process, could provide additional inspiration for a stability pact of a wider geographical scope.

Daarnaast pleiten de auteurs voor 'meer Europa' in het oosten door bijvoorbeeld reizen naar Europa te vergemakkelijken, meer vrije handelperspectieven te creeëren en meer politieke en financiële bijstand te bieden.

More Europe in the east should not lead to new divisions. The EU and Russia must conclude soon the new EU-Russia agreement, which will replace the current Partnership and Co-operation Agreement. More Europe in Russia - with greater interaction and joint perspectives - should be actively pursued with Russia too.

Verder moet werk gemaakt worden van alternatieve energieroutes.

Europe's energy dependence on Russia weakens its political latitude. [...] The aggressive geopolitics of some hawks in the Kremlin must be opposed, but their domestic rivals also need to be enticed. [...] It should be possible to develop diverse routes, including routes that avoid Russian territory, but that allow all the players, including Russia, to invest and receive benefits. It may be possible to engage Russian companies in the ownership structure of non-Russian pipeline and transportation infrastructure. With a minority stake, they would have an interest in seeing the routes run efficiently, but not the ability to disrupt operations.

Ten laatste moeten instellingen opgezet worden die die samenwerking stimuleren.

President Sarkozy has proposed a "Joint Economic Community" between the EU and Russia. If the US were to be invited, it could prove the first step towards a genuine strategic partnership between the EU, the US and Russia. The Black Sea region has great potential for a politics of inclusion as well. This includes EU and NATO members, Russia, Ukraine and the Caucasus. The EU's Black Sea Synergy is a good but hesitant start. It must become more political and build common institutions.