| Popis: |
The subject of the dissertation thesis focuses on relations between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia in their post-9/11/2001 phase. The theoretical framework is provided by the realist school of thought with a special focus on the "defensive" strand of that school. The thesis has two main goals: the primary goal tests a validity of a statement "Confrontational aspects of the NATO -- Russia relations prohibit any significant mutually beneficial cooperation between the NATO and Russia", the secondary goal aims to create a robust body of primary-source information (with 31 December 2007 deadline). Confrontational aspects of the NATO -- Russia relations have been analyzed in the basic conceptual documents of both Russia and the NATO with following conclusions: (1.) Russia does not accept certain characteristics of NATO, (2.) NATO is not prepared to change these characteristics to meet Russia's objections. But as shown in the thesis, these conclusions do not prevent either side to state a conceptual preparedness to an interest-based cooperation. The other important aspect -- conventional and nuclear weapons balance -- has been analyzed in depth from both the static and dynamic point of view. The positive impetus generated through a rhetorical action immediately after the 11 September 2001 resulted in the creation of the NATO -- Russia Council (NRC). In comparison to the previous phase of the NATO -- Russia relations, the NRC comprises both evolution (prioritization of the content) and revolution (rejection of the previous form). But the positive impetus seems to be failing to generate concrete joint political or practical cooperative actions. Nevertheless, examples can be found of mutually beneficial cooperation between the NATO and Russia: operation Active Endeavor, search and rescue at the sea, project for fight against Afghan drugs, Cooperative Airspace Initiative. These examples do falsify the statement as defined under the primary goal of the thesis. As for a possible future development of the NATO -- Russia relations, the thesis concludes: (1.) No further upgrade of form is to be expected over a longer term, (2.) NRC is and will be and an import forum for a political dialogue, (3.) Mutually-beneficial cooperation will probably materialize through smaller-scale projects, (4.) Freezing of relations cannot be excluded, when an important political signal is to be sent, (5.) In spite of the Russia's denouncement of new military installation in Europe the fact is that the European perimeter is and will be for Russia far more secure and predictable than her Southern and South-Easter perimeter. |
