Senior German diplomat calls for NATO-Russia dialogue

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Rapprochement between Turkey and Russia can help smooth relations between NATO and the Kremlin, a former senior German diplomat said Wednesday.

Wolfgang Ischinger, a former deputy foreign minister with the Foreign Ministry, said the recent move by Turkey and Russia to mend ties could benefit Europe as a whole.

“Normalization of relations between NATO ally Turkey and Russia would certainly be helpful for broader efforts to normalize relations between the West and Russia, between NATO and Russia,” he said.

“We can only get to grips with the problems like Iran’s nuclear potential or the war in Syria when we have Russia on our side, when Russia joins our efforts.”

He added: “The normalization of relations between Turkey and Russia now would be for the benefit for all of us.”

Ischinger, an ex-ambassador to the U.S. and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s former representative for discussions on Ukraine, was speaking at an event organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Association in Berlin.

He is currently chairman of the Munich Security Conference, a global forum for security policy.

Turkey and Russia resumed ties last week following seven months of disruption over the shooting down of a Russian warplane by the Turkish Air Force after violation of Turkish airspace above the Syrian border in November.

- Twin-pronged approach

NATO-Russia relations soured further following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Ischinger said despite difficulties in dealing with a more aggressive Russia, NATO should continue pursuing a two-fold strategy towards Moscow, including measures of deterrence and dialogue.

He also warned against further alienating Russia and urged for steps towards building trust.

“In this week’s NATO summit we should not give the impression that we are just taking measures of defense and deterrence and neglecting the second pillar,” he said. “This second pillar remains to be as important as the first one.”

NATO heads of state and government are due to gather in Warsaw on Thursday to discuss increasing the alliance’s military presence in eastern Europe, something Russia has always viewed as a threat to its sphere of influence.

They are expected to approve plans to deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland amid concerns over Russia’s intervention in Ukraine.

Ischinger said that NATO’s plans were not a violation of agreements between NATO and Russia but stressed that Moscow should be kept informed about new developments.

“I believe that it would be very helpful if a high-ranking NATO official, or a representative from a member state, visits Moscow tomorrow or after the end of the summit and informs the Russian government about the conclusions,” Ischinger added. “We have nothing to hide.”

Russia objects to NATO troop deployments in former Soviet satellite states, claiming such actions would violate NATO’s 1997 assurance that it would not to station substantial combat forces on new NATO members’ territory.