US - Russia Developments

Russian Foreign Ministry Statement, February 16, 2000: Clarification of New National Security Concept

"The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergei Ivanov held a special briefing for the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow on February 15. The briefing, attended by the heads of more than 100 diplomatic missions, was devoted to the recently approved new draft of the National Security Concept of the Russian Federation.

Below are the key points of Sergei Ivanov's speech:

'We are deeply interested in the world community having a correct understanding of the approach of the Russian Federation to ensuring its own and international security.'
'The Concept of National Security is essentially a document which formulates the guidelines of the state policy of Russia. On the basis of that document the ministries and departments, the state and non-governmental organizations in our country shape and adjust the conceptual basis of their activities as well as the regulatory legal documents inasmuch as they concern national security.'
'In principle, the concept of national security identified two areas of the activities of state structures. The first is ensuring the national interests and goals in the course of performing their routine functions. The second is ensuring national security by identifying and neutralizing the internal and external threats by security forces and means. Clearly, these two areas are closely interconnected and interdependent.'
'One fundamental difference of the Russian National Security Concept from similar documents of some other countries which deal exclusively with external aspects of their interests and security consists in this, that the Russian concept considers national interests and security in the internal and external areas in their combination and interconnection. Internal factors are given priority.'
'Russia considers the use of nuclear weapons to be a political means of deterring aggression. Russia has never declared and does not declare that it may be the first to use nuclear weapons. At the same time, Russia does not commit itself to not being the first to use nuclear weapons. Herein lies the dialectics of deterrence.'
'A close examination of the conditions and sequence of the use of the totality of means and methods of preventing and stopping aggression shows that the use of nuclear weapons by Russia is prompted by the onset of a situation that is critical for the existence of the state when the use of conventional forces and means in combination with non-military means proves ineffective and aggression cannot be stopped. So, the claims that Russia has allegedly lowered the ceiling of the use of nuclear weapons are incorrect. Russia does not claim broader rights than those of other members of the "nuclear club". It is important to understand that Russia commits everything to the goal of deterrence and will use the whole power of the state to administer a resolute and firm rebuff to the aggressor. But Russia itself will never become an aggressor, which is ensured by its legislation and the Concept of National Security.'

The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation answered numerous questions from the representatives of the diplomatic corps. The text of the new draft of the National Security Concept of the Russian Federation was distributed among those attending the briefing."

Source: The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Ivanov, held a special briefing for heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow on February 15, Russian Foreign Ministry Press Release, Document 26-16-02-2000, February 16