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'The US Is Not Accentuating The "Axis" Now, But Readiness For Discussion': Interview with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak, September 17

'Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Kislyak Interview with the Newspaper Vremya Novostei, Published on September 17, 2003, under the Heading "American Colleagues Are Perfectly Aware that to Lean on Us Is Not Worthwhile"; Russian Foreign Ministry transcript, http://www.mid.ru.

Question: While preparing the [upcoming] summit meeting [between Presidents Vladimir Putin and George Bush], you repeatedly met with US Under Secretary of State John Bolton. Were Iran and the DPRK mentioned? The Americans are still operating with the notion "axis of evil"?

Answer: Of late the Americans are not often returning to this terminology. Anyway in the conversations with us. Generally the ideologized accretions and labels not so much help to solve problems, as hinder that. Take North Korea. One can't solve this problem by political pressure. A serious discussion is required; it is necessary to consider the interests of the interlocutors. The sides need to think how to untie this tight knot of problems, contradictions and mutual distrust, which for decades has been forming and ossifying on the Korean Peninsula. It is important that the US is not accentuating the "axis" now, but readiness for discussion.

Question: Is the transfer of the Korean issue to the UN likely?

Answer: All are interested in seeing it dealt with in the framework of the "six-way format," and I think this negotiating mechanism is the key to solving the problem now.

Question: How do you appraise the situation around Iran's nuclear program? Was the resolution of the IAEA really adopted on September 12 without a vote?

Answer: The IAEA has such a form of voting. A decision is passed if nobody objects. We did not object to the adoption of the resolution. It contains a number of factological provisions based on the report of the agency's director general. There are neither charges, nor ultimatums, there is the expression of concern over the lack of proper transparency and a call upon Iran to remove all the existing questions in cooperation with the agency. Professionally and correctly it formulates the steps Iran should take in this context.

Question: Did Russia introduce any amendments to the draft resolution?

Answer: Yes. And a number of them were taken into account. Of course, if we had written the resolution alone, certain points would have been made in a subtler way, but this is a compromise between many positions.

Question: And we had questions to Iran?

Answer: We all have a multilateral mechanism - the IAEA. This is the organization which we have empowered in the name of all to ask questions and exercise control in the area of nuclear nonproliferation. That's why we rely upon the potential of the IAEA in tackling tasks of this kind.

Question: And what holds back the signing of a protocol on the return of Russian-supplied spent nuclear fuel [SNF] by Iran?

Answer: Talks are in an advanced stage, but not all the details have yet been solved. I think the treaty will be signed fairly soon. In our practice of helping other countries with nuclear power plant construction, return of SNF has been a normal thing. Even since the times of the USSR.

Question: Did Washington lean on us in respect of contacts with Iran and the DPRK?

Answer: I think the American colleagues are perfectly aware that to lean on us is not worthwhile. We have our own views. To the extent that they coincide with the Americans' we are ready to work and do work together on the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons.

Question: What is behind the capacious terms "strategic stability," "complex of disarmament problems" and "nonproliferation of WMD" in the context of your talks with the Americans?

Answer: The Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions [SOR] was signed and ratified in May. Now the process of the treaty's implementation is beginning. The treaty provides for setting up a bilateral implementation commission. Additional measures of transparence and predictability should later be worked out. It is these questions that we are working on with the US colleagues. Strategic stability and arms control, which we discussed with John Bolton, are a part of these problems.

Question: The tip of an iceberg?

Answer: A very important part of the iceberg. It is about a drastic, unique reduction of strategic arms. In parallel there will continue the implementation of START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty] I. Reductions [to a ceiling of 1,700-2,200 operationally-deployed strategic warheads per side] will proceed until December 31, 2012. I have been working in the field of arms control all my diplomatic life. Ten years back or so we, disarmament experts, at the MFA did not even think of the possibility of such deep reductions. Now, in contrast, there is the agreement, it is legally confirmed. The US and Russia are getting down to its implementation.

Question: What is expected of the upcoming meeting between the Russian and US Presidents?

Answer: The previous meetings of the Presidents have laid a solid foundation for the construction of the new relationship between our countries. Now it is necessary to erect this edifice.

Question: And how many floors will there be?

Answer: I would rather speak of "blocks." The block of military-political issues - this is, in particular, the SOR Treaty. Another is the struggle against terrorism, where serious cooperation is under way. The interagency group is effectively operating. One more block - economics. Without this element, it is difficult to imagine the development of bilateral relations. There is movement here, but it is not all smooth sailing.

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