| From China to America, political
leaders are wondering how to handle with the newly-elected Russian President
Vladimir V. Putin. The 47-year-old leader has not yet to reveal details of his
foreign-policy vision, but this is much clear. He wants Russia to stand tall—or
at least, taller—in the world. "It would be unreasonable to be afraid of a
strong Russia, but one should reckon with it, "he declared in an "open letter"
to voters shortly after they elected him on March 26. "One can insult us only at
one's own peril." The important point is whether Putin's efforts to build new respect for Russia will lead to confrontation with the West. For now, Putin seems hopeful of putting Russian—Western relations on a better standing— despite U.S. and European criticism of the Chechen War. Putin is the one taking the initiative, media say, for a tete-a-tete with U. S. President Bill Clinton. The pair discussed a possible meeting when Clinton called Putin on March 27 to congratulate him. They hope to meet before the July Group of Eight meetimg in Okinawa. "Putin wants it to be constructive," says Robert Legvold, a Russia watcher at Columbia University. The new president, Putin seems willing to negotiate arms control and security issues with Washington. Clinton wants Russia's agreement to revise the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty so that the U. S. can build a limited national missile defense. Putin would want something in return—perhaps the right to sell its missile-defense technology to potential customers such as South Korea. Putin is also looking for a deal from the Paris Club of creditor governments on reducing $40 billion in Soviet debt. Encouraged by Putin's promises to enforce the rule of law, the creditors are likely to give him a break. Any sober calculation of Russia's global status suggests that Russia needs the West more than the West needs Russia. And whatever is generally thought, Russia has more to gain from America and Europe than it does from China. That's why the West should be unafraid of laying down rules for Putin—and brace for a time of testing. Putin is often described as both an opportunist and a cynic, but there is no doubt one attribute that he respects: power. |