Associated Press - 09.24.2003

Summit to be scanned for signs of stronger Russian, U.S. ties

MOSCOW -- (AP) Two years after forging a post-Cold War bond by offering support for the U.S. war on terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to the United States for a summit that will test the strength of ties frayed by a deep dispute over the invasion of Iraq.

When Putin and President Bush meet Friday and Saturday at Camp David, they will be under pressure to prove the unity that followed the Sept. 11 attacks has held up well enough to allow the former foes to move ahead with more meaningful cooperation on international security.

"As it stands today, the U.S.-Russian relationship ... is not broken, but it remains pretty shallow," Dmitry Trenin, deputy director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, wrote recently.

Bush and Putin share warm personal ties and are certain to stress the upside: Their stances on Iran, Iraq and North Korea seem closer than ever, and officials are buzzing with talk about how their economies can dovetail, with the United States seeking new sources of oil and gas and Russia needing investment to develop and transport its rich reserves.

Putin is to speak Thursday at the United Nations in New York. He also plans to meet with firefighters and visit the New York Stock Exchange, two events that will symbolize that solidarity in the war on terrorism and economic affairs are cornerstones of the post-Cold War relationship.

But economic cooperation has been sluggish: European companies are moving into Russia's booming retail market much faster than Americans; plans for an oil pipeline are just plans; and disputes have stalled revocation of the Soviet-era Jackson-Vanik amendment, which imposed trade restrictions on Moscow.

At the same time, the relationship faces serious challenges.

One potential point of contention is Chechnya, after a U.S. official expressed concern about whether Kremlin policies can bring peace to the war-ravaged region. The statement stood out from the soft stance the United States has taken since Sept. 11 and drew Russian accusations that the United States is two-faced on terrorism.

The United States has its own doubts about Russian cooperation against terrorism and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. After nearly a decade of U.S. nagging over an $800 million deal to build a reactor for a nuclear power plant in Iran, Moscow says it still plans to push ahead with the project despite American fears it could help Tehran develop nuclear weapons.

Both sides say their positions have moved closer, with Russia suggesting it shares U.S. concerns and urging Iran to agree to unfettered inspections by the U.N. nuclear agency.

Since spring, Putin has stressed that while he sees the United States and Russia as strategic partners, Moscow should not be cast as having a lesser role. "We must get rid of the mentor tone," he told U.S. media Saturday.