Valdai discussions pre-empt political developments

The Cold War is over but a Cold War mentality still drives decision making (By Janet McBride, Reuters Editor, Political and General News Europe, Middle East and Africa)

Janet McBride,
Reuters Editor, Political and General News Europe, Middle East and Africa

Events have moved swiftly since the Valdai discussion group met to discuss topics including ‘Is the Cold War really over?’ and ‘Russia-United States: a nuclear reset?’ In many ways those discussions, involving academics and Russia experts from Russia, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, pre-empted the latest developments pointing to a tangible improvement in Russia-U.S. relations.

Yes, the Cold War is over but a Cold War mentality still drives decision making in the minds of some officials in governments on both sides of what was the iron curtain, Valdai participants said. The arrival of a new president in the White House may break the mould, some argued, if Barack Obama had sufficient influence and authority to carry the rest of the administration apparatus with him.

There was much discussion of the ‘reset’ in U.S.-Russia relations coined by Obama and his Vice President  Joe Biden. It was clear listening to Russian participants in the discussions that most felt it was Washington that needed to hit the reset button, not Moscow. Frustrations aired by Russian speakers included Russia’s long-running bid to join the WTO, apparently blocked at every turn by Washington, and U.S. plans for a system of radars and interceptor rockets in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Overriding the debate about the very real difficulties in Russia-U.S. relations was a willingness on all sides to discuss differences and listen to opposing points of view. That, more than anything, was proof the Cold War really is over.

More evidence has followed in recent weeks.

The United States has announced plans to shelve plans for the so called missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland. In response, Russia indicated it saw no cause to deploy missiles in the Kaliningrad region bordering Poland.

NATO’s new Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen proposed a new era of cooperation with Russia that would involve working with Russia and the United States on missile defence – a positive response to Russian proposals for a new security architecture in Europe.

And there has even been a degree of optimism from Russian officials about prospects for World Trade Organisation membership. Russia’s WTO negotiator Igor Shuvalov travelled to Washington with proposals for resolving four remaining issues blocking Russia’s WTO bid.

Maybe world leaders are catching up with the openness of Valdai, where delegates feel free and comfortable to exchange views in a cordial environment. Valdai is as much about listening to others as it is about participating in debate.

The Valdai group held the bulk of its discussions this year in Yakutia, a province in eastern Siberia that is bigger than India and nearer Beijing than Washington. To understand Russia, the West needs to understand Russia beyond the Kremlin.

Valdai fosters that understanding by giving participants access to regional and national government officials and policymakers, by encouraging debate and enabling its members to find common ground and probe areas of difference.