European Policy Expert Says E.U. Seeks Closer Relationship With U.S.

By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

Relations between the European Union and United States has hit a pivotal point as the economic crisis continues, according to Wilson Center Southeast Europe Policy Scholar, Dr. Ruby Gropas. Gropas believes the E.U. wants a strong transatlantic relationship with the U.S. to aid deficiencies inside member countries.

The E.U. desires the U.S. to help them through the current economic crisis, explained Gropas. She added, the crisis is creating a great deal of economic strain as well as causing wavering loyalty among E.U. members.

Gropas admits the E.U.’s intentions are somewhat “selfish,” but that the U.S. and President Obama have a lot to gain from a strong relationship with the U.N.

The future of the E.U. depends on many factors including cohesive foreign policy, according to Gropas. The E.U. has helped global security and continues to play an important role in global foreign policy. Gropas said the economic and foreign policy positions of the E.U. and U.S. make a tighter partnership worthwhile. But, as Obama focuses on weapon proliferation threats, such a partnership is unknown.

Former Defense Secretary Optimistic That U.S.-Russia Summit Will Produce Renewed Ties

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

As the U.S-Russia summit from July 6th-8th nears, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen, who spoke at the Center for American Progress Thursday, delivered an optimistic message on the chances of cooperation between the two nations based on goals that both share.

“The distrust is long, it’s deep, but in my opinion it’s not irresponsible... [President Obama] has to decide what the nature of our relationship is going to be with Russia. He has to identify 5 or 6 areas of potential cooperation,” said Cohen.

Russian political experts and Washington think-tanks alike believe the upcoming summit could produce a renewal in Russo-American ties.

Cohen and Dr. Samuel Charap, a Fellow at the Center for American Progress, identified six points of common interest between the U.S. and Russia: Arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, stability and security for the former Soviet region, the fight against violent extremism, the introduction of Russia to Western organizations such as the WTO, energy conservation, and the health and wellness of the two populations.

On the scheduled expiration of START, ratified by Russia and the United States in 1991 to achieve a dramatic reduction in strategic forces, Cohen said “If President Obama and his counterparts are dedicated to doing that [complete the renewal of START by the end of the year], it’s achievable.”

Cohen reiterated the importance of Russia’s role in foreign affairs, indicating that “the non proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: we both have interests in that; curbing Iranian and North Korean nuclear ambitions. Frankly I don’t really think we will be able to solve Iran’s ambitions for nuclear weapons capability without the help of Russia. Russia will have far more leverage than we will. The question is are they going to be wiling to exercise that leverage in their dealings with Iran. They have serious commercial interests in Iran...”

Charap agreed with Cohen that the U.S. should include Russia in international organizations.

“The administration's policies should be guided by the long term goal of integrating Russia into western and other international institutions. integration in these structures, rather than isolation from them is in the U.S national interest because they require greater accountability,” said Charap.

In addition to national security issues, Cohen also discussed economic benefits of renewed ties between the two nations.

“[Russians] need to have Western investment and it has not exactly been a hospitable environment for Western investment. There are serious questions remaining concerning the rule of law... and safe investment,” said Cohen, adding that “The U.S should encourage the development of a democratic Russia that observes the universal values of human rights, political pluralism and the rule of law” in order to encourage foreign direct investment.

Key U.S.-Russia Non-Proliferation Treaty May Expire Without Renewal, Say Foreign Affairs Experts

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

Charles D. Ferguson and Stephen Sestanovich, Senior Fellows at the Council on Foreign Relations, explained that the 1991 START non-proliferation treaty may not be renewed following the U.S.-Russia Summit this July.

“There can’t be an agreement unless there’s also a formal renunciation by the U.S of the missile defense plan. That’s rather unlikely to happen, and if the Russian stick to that line, the chances of arms control are [slim],” said Sestanovich.

START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was ratified in 1991 by Russia and the U.S in an effort to achieve a dramatic reduction in strategic forces such as warheads and inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in the post-Cold War era.

According to the U.S. based Arms Control Association, “Russia claimed 4,237 total deployed strategic warheads under the terms of the 1991 START nuclear reductions agreement” while the U.S has 3,696 deployed strategic warheads.

“What has really agitated the Russians... is the American plan to deploy some rather basic elements of the missile defense system in Eastern Europe,” Sestanovich explained, referencing the Bush administration’s decision to install missiles at a base in Poland and to build a radar station in the Czech Republic. Both deals intended to protect Europe from “rogue states” such as Iran.

Ferguson added, “The [Obama] administration has a review of its missile defense policy on the way, and that makes it a little more difficult for them to reach any specific understandings with the Russian about this issue. They can’t offer certain kinds of assurances.”

President Barack Obama has recently agreed to halt military developments in Eastern Europe if Russia agrees to participate actively against Iran.

Ferguson countered Moscow’s accusations that a U.S presence in neighboring states is a serious military threat, saying “What we are looking at is a much smaller, much more modest missile defense system... There’s really no technical reasons for the Russians to be worried at this stage about missile defense as it is currently proposed.”

Napolitano Announces Enhanced Customs Cooperation With Mexico

By Celia Canon

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens signed a letter of intent announcing new areas of cooperation on the U.S-Mexican border during a press conference Monday at the Ronald Reagan Center.

In 2007, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had agreed upon a bilateral program that allowed Mexico and the U.S to join forces in order to safeguard trade and combat illegal activity at the border.

Today’s announcement boosted the 2007 Bilateral Strategic Plan by updating agencies' technology, training Mexican officers for Border Patrol service, and preventing criminals from entering Mexico.

Napolitano praised the extension, saying “The U.S is a full partner with Mexico and the Calderon administration as we satisfy our twin goals of a secure border and a resilient border that allows legitimate trade and commerce to pass but that keeps out drugs, that keeps out weapons, keeps out the cash that fuels these cartels and... makes certain that the border is safe and secure for those who live there.”

Carstens reflected on the importance of this fundamental cooperation for the completion of both Mexican and American interests.

“We both acknowledge that...our joint efforts will translate into more secure and competitive North America,” said Carstens.

The 2007 initiative has already been met with considerable success.

“We have seized [three times] the amount of arms, we’ve seized 50% more drugs,” said Napolitano.

Introducing The New Nuclear Pandemic

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

Americans should be more concerned by the proliferation of nuclear weapons from North Korea to other states or non-state actors, rather than focus on a direct N.Korean nuclear attack on the Western World.

Such was the conclusion of former Secretary of Defense William Perry when addressing the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on U.S nuclear weapons policy today.

“When we are concerned about proliferation, for example from N.Korea to Iran, we are concerned with the possibility that nuclear terrorists might be a bomb... The greater danger is that the bomb or the fissile material leak from one of these countries.” said Perry.

On Monday, N.Korea announced that it had successfully detonated and underground nuclear bomb, and on Tuesday, it launched two short-range ballistic missiles. As a result, the Obama administration may be facing an unexpected turn in the nuclear debate.

The topic is gaining momentum as talks between the U.S and Russia on the renewal of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start) are feared to be unsuccessful.

That N.Korea has nuclear capabilities and is testing missiles has fanned the flames on the necessity to reconsider the reduction in the Department of Defense FY2010 budget.

Perry was joined by Brent Scowcroft, former assistant to the President for National Security Affairs who explained that “a great danger in nuclear terrorism lies with the civilian nuclear power and the loose fissile material that comes with that.”

Scowcroft appealed to the security dilemma to provide a link between N.Korea or Iran acquiring a nuclear power and nuclear terrorism.

“If we don’t put a cap on proliferation now, we could easily face 30 or 40 countries with that capability, That is not a better world,” said Scowcroft, adding that “If [Iran and N.Korea] are free to enrich uranium to weapons grade, then you have others who want to do it just for protection or whatever and then you have a tremendous danger of terrorists getting hold of fissile material and then its relatively easy.”

The U.S government had already started to deal with this problem under the Bush junior administration, as Perry explains: “For one thing I support the initiative of the previous administration called the Proliferation Security initiative (PSI) and the recent moves to strengthen this initiative.”

Former President George.W. Bush said that PSI’s aim is "to keep the world's most destructive weapons away from our shores and out of the hands of our common enemies."

The initiative is limited to controlling alien ships in one’s waters to search for weapons. Airways are however not part of the PSI.