British-Russian relations have suffered greatly in recent years, with a series of incidents souring relations: the Alexander Litvinenko scandal, the British Council restrictions, diplomatic exits and various extradition rows. Foreign Secretary David Milliband will visit Russia next week, the first visit by a British Foreign Secretary since relations hit their rocky low. In an optimistic piece in the Times, the former British ambassador to Moscow, Tony Brenton, sees 'common ground' between Russia and Great Britain, and offers five suggestions for how the two sides can improve relations - without Britain shying away from tackling Russia on human rights.
First, we should remain true to our own liberal principles. Russia is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights. This gives us clear standing to criticise the more flagrant breaches -- lawyers arrested, NGOs pressurised, journalists murdered. We should not, with our more pusillanimous European partners, be ready to turn a blind eye to bad behaviour. Russia does not respect weakness. And standing up for what we believe in strengthens those brave Russians who are working to improve their country.
Second, we should work with Russia where we can. Talk of a "new Cold War" is a grotesque exaggeration. Russia is not the revanchist troublemaker depicted in much of the Western press. Its foreign policy is based on a cautious assessment of its national interest. There is common ground that we should work to exploit. Russia is as keen as we are to stop Iran going nuclear and Afghanistan falling back into the hands of the Taleban. We have a joint contribution to make to cutting the world's excessive stock of nuclear weapons. And there are vast gains to be made by expanding our mutual trade and investment.
Third, we should make it clear when Russia's external behaviour becomes unacceptable. The murder of Litvinenko, the attacks on the British Council, the unilateral Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the cyber attack on Estonia all disrupted the international order. To let such behaviour pass is simply to invite more of the same. If we are clear where the limits are, we strengthen the hand of those inside Russia who argue that it should observe international norms more carefully.
Fourth, we should recognise that Russia is going to evolve only gradually and according to its own rhythms. It is unrealistic to believe that our behaviour can alone set Russia on a more co-operative and liberal path. We, with our partners, can be influential at the margins, but only there. We should accept that, for a while at least, Russia is going to remain a very challenging player on the international scene, and adjust our tactics accordingly.
But, finally, we should remain optimistic. Russia is a country that, in terms of both history and culture, knows itself to be profoundly European. As it looks around its borders, the least threatening one is that to the west. Its trade and investment links are heavily western orientated. The values to which it aspires are Western values. As its people grow more prosperous and more knowledgeable about the freedoms enjoyed by their Western neighbours, so they will grow less tolerant of the constraints under which they are forced to live.
British preaching the Russians about "human rights"? Wait, isn't it British that are killing Iraqi children, not the Russians?
Hm, not a word about the Russian soldiers killed by loony Saak in massed rocket artillery strikes. Par for the course for HMG. After all, in the HMG view, the only thing Hitler did wrong was to send Ribbentrop to Moscow to do a deal.
KARL:
By your "logic" Russia was banned from protecting Ossetia because it banned others from protecting Chechnya. Do you condemn Russia's hypocrisy in that regard?
Would you mind documenting your claim about the British killing Iraqi children? Or are facts simply too much to ask from the likes of you?
RKKA:
Hmm, not a word from you about Georgian civilians killed in massed rocket attacks on Gori. Don't you feel obligated to practice what you preach?
BOTH:
Unlike Russia, Britain has not been convicted and condemned by the European Court for human rights on multiple occassions following full-blown trials for state-sponsored murder and torture. It's pretty amazing that you dare to attack a so-called one-sided view of Russia while adopting one yourselves. Amazing and utterly pathetic.