Towards an Аlliance of Europe

Analytical Report by the Russian Group of the Valdai International Discussion Club

Foreword

This paper is the final version of report “Towards an Alliance of Europe”. The previous version was discussed at a special session of the VII annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on August, 31 — September, 7, 2010. The authors of the report express their deep gratitude to the participants of the discussion for the high estimation of this initiative, critical and complementary comments, and thoughtful suggestions on the modification of the text.

Many criticisms and suggestions of the members of the Valdai Club were taken into consideration during the final modification. Special gratitude to the following members of the Valdai discussion: Sergey Aleksashenko, Pavel Andreev, Thomas Gomart, Charles Grant, Ann de Tangy, Vladislav Inozemtsev, Clifford Cupchan, Robert Legvold, Anatol Lieven, Dominic Lieven, John Peet, Michael Pogrebinsky, Andreas Rinke, Andreas Umland, Ján Čhernogurský, Sheng Shilian, Michael Sturmer.

This paper is the first in a series of analytical reports that is planed to be prepared and published under the auspices of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The reports are aimed at the workingout of a long-term (10—15 years) agenda for the relations between Russia and the major centers of power in the new world — the European Union, the USA, emerging Asia, and, possibly, with particular nations.

In the report on the relations with the USA there will be suggested a really innovative breakthrough rather than “reset” agenda in US-Russia relations, which might include the elements of a strategic and military union to ensure the international security, close cooperation within Russia-EUUS and Russia-China-US triangles.

The report on the policy towards Asia will suggest decisive measures for Russias’ overdue joining the locomotive of the Asian economic growth, and the launch of an international project to develop Siberia and Russian Far East under the auspices and on the initiative of Russia. There will be developed new suggestions concerning the essence of Russia-China relations — good in political terms, but in terms of economics clearly not going with the potential. Even now it is clear that the Asian strategy of Moscow requires innovative approaches towards the relations with Japan, South Korea, India, the members of ASEAN.

Obviously, although all the reports are based on academic analysis and forecasts, they are not only futuristic, but also to a large extent idealistic. However, the dangerous vacuum of ideas concerning the long-term global development requires special efforts to push the international analytical and political community towards a more active intellectual search. Even through the rejection of the recommendations and analysis of the report “Towards an Alliance of Europe” and the following reports.

Naturally, all the reports, like the one presented now, will be first discussed at the meetings of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Sergey KARAGANOV

Полный текст в формате PDF (англ. яз.)

№9(47), 2010