Living with Russia
Sir: Frank Johnson's thoughtful analysis of Russia's love-hate affair with the West mer- its attention (Leading article, 22 June).
Regrettably, Russian society and, in par- ticular, its intelligentsia have not yet suc- ceeded in taking a dispassionate look at their country's history, its specific features and its place in the world. Neither the obscurantism of a Solzhenitsyn nor the enthusiasm of reformers for everything Western, regardless, can provide lasting answers.
As Frank Johnson has pointed out, Rus- sia is there, its current problems notwith- standing, and Western powers have to find a new modus vivendi with the awkward behemoth. Least helpful in this transitional stage are challenges of a security nature, however tempting, such as attempts to advance Nato membership eastwards. Eager as the United States and a united Germany might be to fill the power vacuum in Eastern Europe, a rather more sober proposition has been advanced by Hun- gary's foreign minister, Laszlo Kovacs: neutrality, with Western security guaran- tees, rather than military alliances that have their origins in the Cold War era. This might be the first step towards a workable balance of power that takes the interests of all involved into account.
Vera Butler
Honorary Secretary, Australian International Studies Association, 4 Avoca Crescent, Pascoe Vale 3044, Victoria, Australia
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