WASHINGTON -- Russia is prepared to join a U.S.-led coalition to fight international terrorism, but would require strong arguments to continue its support if the United States attacked Iraq, a senior leading Russian foreign policy specialist said Friday.

In an interview with United Press International, Sergei Karaganov, chairman of the Presidium of Moscow's Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, said Russia's interest in being part of the coalition the Bush administration was trying to create reflected a growing interest in Moscow in joining NATO.

snip . Is there any likelihood of the Russians taking part in a ground operation?

A. We got burned so thoroughly in Afghanistan we wouldn't do that. But we have shared intelligence [with the United States], because we have vast intelligence networks from previous years - the old days, and I understand we have sent our specialists to the United States - veterans from the Afghan war - to prepare the Americans on what to expect.

snip Q. You were once quoted as saying that the collapse of Russian communism challenged the West, and the West failed the challenge. Do you see the current situation as a historical second chance?

A. Yes, but I'm not sure whether this administration will be able to grasp that chance. If so, it would be the start of a different history - the nucleus of a new world order of civilized nations based on non-proliferation, the fight against terrorism, and in addition helping those states that would become members of a grand coalition like India. China could become a member. The philosophical idea is, help those who help themselves. We saw what happened in Russia when misplaced help was delivered. That help was wasted: It prolonged the agony and corrupted the regime - not in terms of direct money but in terms of giving the regime the possibility of doing nothing. We in Russia avoided structural reforms for almost 10 years: It's only now that we are starting them in a somewhat different direction.

snip Q. President Putin has recently been less critical of NATO than in the past. Does this represent a shift in attitude?

A. Russians very well understand that NATO is becoming the only visible and viable organization for European security, and it could become more so if it takes in Russia, because there is no other force. NATO could become a supplement to the U.N., the armed hand of the U.N., if it includes Russia.

-- Q. Are you envisioning Russia as a full member of NATO?

A. I'm talking - and quite a few other people are talking - about full membership. It could be full membership French style initially. [France participates at the political level, but not militarily.]

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/10/1/202010.shtml

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2001