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Author : V. Sokolenko
Deputy Director, Foreign Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Fed-
eration; Doctor of Science (Political Sciences)
RUSSIA'S POLITICO-DIPLOMATIC AC-
TIVISM in promoting its initiative on the signing
of a legally binding European security treaty has
been marked this year by yet another important
event. In accordance with an agreement between
Russian Foreign Minister S.V. Lavrov and Greek
Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou, on May 17,
2011 a conference was organized by the Russian and
Greek foreign ministries in Athens. Entitled "The
Military-Political Dimension of European Security: Proposals and Prospects," it essentially
provided a political expert examination of the Russia-initiated process of reforming the ex-
isting European security architecture.
Most importantly, the forum confirmed that the European dialogue of experts on European
security issues, initiated by Russia, in which it pursues its own interests, is developing success-
fully. Furthermore, Russia is becoming an authoritative participant in the European expert
examination of key issues of modern international relations.
Today the situation is obviously changing. One result of our contacts with international,
mainly European expert circles is the increasingly pronounced modernization of political
consciousness in the West toward the recognition that without Russia, without a real, not
token consideration for its interests it will be impossible to create an effective international
security system in sync with present-day realities.
Generally, our foreign colleagues made some important points indicating that Russian com-
ments and the explanatory work that we conduct produces results.
The main propositions outlined during the discussion by European experts are in sync with
the current views of some U.S. policy expert circles acknowledging that an international se-
curity system cannot be realistically built on sole leadership separated from the new realities
of globalization.
In this context the importance of the work accomplished by Russian conferees in Athens
goes beyond the subject of the European security treaty. Such forums are an important ele-
ment of the Foreign Ministry's dedicated effort aimed at ensuring the consistent integration
of the indigenous political science school into the global expert community, a channel for
adjusting Russian interests and value priorities to international standards of thinking, above
all in the sphere of global politics.
Dialogue on European Security in Athens: Afterword