BRUSSELS: Russia’s military could return to Afghanistan for the first time since the Red Army was forcibly expelled by US-backed mujahideen fighters in 1989. The proposal is part of plans now being discussed by Nato officials ahead of a landmark alliance summit next month, to be attended by the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev.
The officials said several joint Russia-Nato initiatives on Afghanistan were on the table. They include the contribution of Russian helicopters and crews to train Afghan pilots, possible Russian assistance in training Afghan national security forces, increased co-operation on counter-narcotics and border security, and improved transit and supply routes for Nato forces.
“The summit can mark a new start in the relationship between Nato and Russia,” said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Nato secretary-general. “We will hopefully agree on a broad range of areas in which we can develop practical co-operation on Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics.”
Rasmussen continued: “Russia is strongly interested in increased co-operation. Last December when I visited Moscow I suggested that Russia provide helicopters for the Afghan army. Since then Russia has reflected on that and there are now bilateral talks between Russia and the United States. I would not exclude that we will facilitate that process within the Nato-Russia council.”
Western diplomats said it was “quite likely” that agreements with Moscow on enhanced co-operation in Afghanistan on a range of fronts, including the “helicopter initiative”, would be reached in time for the Lisbon Nato summit on Nov 19-20.Officials said Russian-made helicopters were better adapted to Afghan conditions than their western equivalents. Russian forces gained considerable experience in flying helicopter gunships during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, where they are still remembered with fear and loathing. For this reason, renewed Russian involvement may prove controversial among the Afghan population.
The attitude of the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai would be key to the Russian military’s mooted involvement in training Afghan national army recruits, an official said. “It would be welcome to Isaf (the International Security Assistance Force) if the Russians want to do it and if the Afghans welcome it too.”
The summit is expected to see a big American and British push for European allies to provide more army and police trainers for Afghan security forces ahead of the scheduled 2014-15 transition to Afghan control.
“The Russians could make life very difficult for us in Afghanistan but they don’t,” a western diplomat said, going on to suggest that the difference now was that Moscow was increasingly prepared to be positively helpful.
New understandings were expected on improved air and land supply and transit arrangements via central Asian states such as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the diplomat said. This is considered increasingly important given the rising number of insurgent attacks on Nato supply routes through Pakistan and a recent Pakistani government decision to temporarily close the Khyber Pass.
Russian concerns about the flow of heroin from Afghanistan’s poppy fields would also be addressed through new co-operative agreements, officials said.
The Nato-Russian initiatives are to be accompanied by a summit declaration by Nato and the Karzai government of a long-term relationship extending beyond 2014-15.
Medvedev is keen to strengthen Russia’s ties with the west after a period of friction that spiked with Russia’s war with Nato partner Georgia in 2008.
He was encouraged to attend the summit when he met the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Deauville earlier this month. Both Sarkozy and Merkel strongly favour closer relations with Moscow despite unresolved issues over Georgia.
Medvedev is also expected to hold a separate, two-hour meeting with the US president, Barack Obama, Rasmussen and other top Nato leaders. Officials said a separate agreement on limited Russian co-operation with Nato’s European missile defence plans was also in prospect.
Rasmussen said the expected missile defence deal would be “a very important step in the relationship” that would help provide a common Europe-Atlantic “security roof”.
Medvedev’s decision to go to Lisbon, and the raft of new agreements with Moscow, will be seen as the fruit of Obama’s policy to “reset” relations with Russia. The thaw may also boost Medvedev’s domestic position amid continuing speculation about potential political rivalry with his presidential predecessor, the current prime minister Vladimir Putin, who has harshly criticised western policy in the past.
Nato officials said the summit would provide a symbolic demonstration of a new determination by the alliance and Russia to overcome past differences and to reach consensus on the nature of 21st century security threats. Nato’s overall approach is due to be set out at the summit in a new “strategic concept” or mission statement.
“Medvedev’s presence at the summit will show we’ve turned the page,” one official said. “We want to reach out to Russia.”—Dawn/Guardian News Service