ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:95100302.GWE
DATE:10/03/95
TITLE:03-10-95  SCHOLARS SEE EVENTUAL GAINS FROM RUSSIAN-NATO COOPERATION

TEXT:
(Panel members discuss scenarios)  (520)
By Vance Phillips
USIA Staff Writer

Washington -- NATO expansion could eventually have a positive effect
on the alliance's future relations with Russia, according to a panel
of experts appearing at the National Press Club.

During a October 3 news briefing, specialists from the Brookings
Institution and other organizations speculated on how Russia might
potentially be induced to collaborate more effectively with the rest
of Europe.

Jonathan Dean, Arms Control Adviser of the Union of Concerned
Scientists, characterized the anticipated NATO expansion as form of
insurance against any possible Russian misbehavior. Conversely, he
added, that expansion will help "with Russia's integration into Europe
and the states it formerly dominated."

Dean said the United States succeeded in integrating post-World War II
Germany into Europe by expanding trade networks and cultural and
security relationships. This approach, he said, would not work with
Russia because it "is far larger than Germany, it has not been
militarily defeated or occupied by Western troops and it possess a
substantial nuclear arsenal", he said.

Bringing Russia into NATO would "in practice eliminate NATO's capacity
to cooperate politically and militarily to dissuade aggressive Russian
behavior, and how to cope with it when it occurs", according to Dean.

He said Russia can be "brought into NATO only after it has become a
dependably functioning democracy and NATO's protection for Europe is
therefore no longer needed".

When asked to present "alternative to NATO expansion" Dean responded
"NATO expansion in Eastern Europe was not the best alternative because
governments in this region are not primarily interested in military
security due to the fact that there are no immediate threats."
Advocates of NATO expansion, including Dean, agree that the
enlargement of the European Union (EU) would be a more feasible
alternative because Russia would not view such a move as a significant
security threat.

Dean said another alternative was the strengthening of the
Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Doing so, he
said would follow suit with the "Russian proposal to develop a
decision-making security council for the OSCE." He downplayed the
notion that a strengthened OSCE would compete with or dominate an
established NATO.

According to Dean, "offering full and immediate membership into the
Western European Union (WEU), the defense arm of the EU, to countries
such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary", all of whom are
candidates for EU membership would allow these countries "to meet
their desire for a closer Western association while supporting its
candidacy for EU membership."

Brookings Institute Senior Fellow Susan Woodward said that NATO
expansion will be key in the withdrawal of United Nation (U.N.)
peacekeeping forces from Bosnia. She added that Russia "should not"
view NATO enlargement a threat.

Asked what role Russia would play in U.N. withdrawal from Bosnia,
Woodward said NATO troops would be used in the actual removal process,
while non-member troops would be used for less hostile military duties
such as check point duty. She emphasized that there are concerns
participating troops may experience problems similar to those which
took part in such operations in Somalia.
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