DATE=        MAY 19, 1998
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07794
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  THE NEW NATO AND RUSSIA

CONTENT= THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR 
BROADCST MAY 19, 1998.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    AS ALEXANDER VERSHBOW, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NORTH 
ATLANTIC COUNCIL, SAID IN A RECENT SPEECH, THERE CAN BE NO 
LASTING SECURITY IN THE EURO-ATLANTIC AREA UNTIL NATO'S 
RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA IS ON A SOLID FOOTING.  

    RUSSIA IS IN THE MIDST OF A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION.  THE U.S. 
AND EUROPE HAVE AN ENORMOUS STAKE IN HOW THAT TRANSFORMATION 
TURNS OUT.  AMERICA'S GOAL IS THE SAME AS THAT OF MANY RUSSIANS: 
TO SEE RUSSIA COMPLETE THE TRANSITION TO A MODERN DEMOCRATIC 
STATE.  RUSSIANS WANT A STATE THAT ABIDES BY ITS OWN CONSTITUTION
AND LAWS.  THEY WANT A STATE THAT IS MARKET-ORIENTED AND 
PROSPEROUS.  AND THEY WANT A STATE THAT IS AT PEACE.

    THE U.S. IS ASSISTING RUSSIA'S INTEGRATION INTO EUROPEAN AND 
GLOBAL POLITICAL, SECURITY AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURES.  AMERICA'S 
MESSAGE TO RUSSIA IS THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN TO RUSSIAN COOPERATION
WITH NATO.  THE 1997 NATO-RUSSIA FOUNDING ACT HAS HELPED TO LAY A
FOUNDATION FOR CLOSE CONSULTATION.  THE U.S. AND RUSSIA ARE NOW 
ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS OF SUCH ISSUES AS THE DESTRUCTION OF 
CHEMICAL WEAPONS, NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION, AND TERRORISM.  AND 
THEY ARE PARTNERS IN PEACEKEEPING IN BOSNIA.

    ONE LESSON OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY IS THAT PEACE AND 
STABILITY ARE STRENGTHENED WHEN ALL NATIONS PARTICIPATE IN 
EUROPE'S POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURES.  AS 
AMBASSADOR VERSHBOW SAID, "THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT I AM 
OPTIMISTIC THAT NATO AND RUSSIA WILL WORK TOGETHER TO IMBUE THE 
RELATIONSHIP WITH REAL SUBSTANCE AND MEANING."

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.  

18-May-98 3:20 PM EDT (1920 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.