7.The forces and means which ensure national security concentrate their efforts and resources on the provision of national security in the political, economic, and social spheres, in the areas of science and education, in the intercultural, spiritual, informational, military, military-industrial, and ecological spheres, and likewise in the area of social security.
II. RUSSIA AND THE MODERN WORLD: CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS OF DEVELOPMENT
8.World development is following the path of globalization in all spheres of international life, which, in turn, is characterized by a high degree of dynamism and interdependence of events.
Nation-states have experienced the intensification of conflicts connected to unequal development, as a result of globalizing processes, and of the deepening rift between rich and poor countries. Values and models of development have become the subject of global competition.
The vulnerability of all members of the international community to new threats and challenges has grown.
As a result of the rise of new centers of economic growth and political influence, a qualitatively new geopolitical situation is unfolding. There is an increasing tendency to seek resolutions to existing problems and regulate crisis situations on a regional basis, without the participation of non-regional powers.
The inadequacy of the current global and regional architecture, oriented (particularly in the Euro-Atlantic region) towards NATO, and likewise the imperfect nature of legal instruments and mechanisms, create an ever-increasing threat to international security.
9.The transition in the international system from opposing blocs to principles of multi-vector diplomacy, together with Russia’s resource potential and pragmatic policy for its use, have broadened the possibilities for the Russian Federation to reinforce its influence on the world stage.
The Russian Federation has sufficient potential to count on the creation, in the medium-term, of conditions conducive to its entrenchment among the leaders of the world economy, on the basis of effective participation in global division of labor, improved global competitiveness of the national economy, of defense potential, and of the level of state and social security.
10.A negative influence on the assurance of Russia’s national interests will be exerted by the likely recurrence of one-sided use of force in international relations, disagreements between the main participants in world politics, the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and of their use by terrorists, and likewise the improvement of forms of illicit activity in the cybernetic and biological domains, in the sphere of high technology. The global information struggle will intensify, threats will increase to the stability of industrialized and developing countries, their socioeconomic development and democratic institutions. Nationalist sentiments, xenophobia, separatism, and violent extremism will grow, including under the banner of religious radicalism. The global demographic situation and environmental problems will become more acute, and threats associated with uncontrolled and illegal migration, drug and human trafficking, and other forms of transnational organized crime, will also increase. Epidemics caused by new, previously unknown viruses are likely to spread. The deficit of fresh water will become more obvious.
11.In the long term, the attention of international politics will be focused on ownership of energy resources, including in the Near East, the Barents Sea shelf and other parts of the Arctic, in the Caspian basin, and in Central Asia.
In the medium term, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as conflicts in the Near and Middle East, in a number of South Asian and African countries, and on the Korean peninsula, will continue to exert a negative influence on the international situation.
12.The critical condition of physical storage of dangerous materials and objects, especially in countries with unstable political situations, together with the proliferation of regular armaments beyond the control of the state, can lead to the intensification of existing, as well as the creation of new regional and interstate conflicts.
Under conditions of competition for resources, it is not excluded that arising problems may be resolved using military force, and that the current balance of power on the borders of Russia and its allies may be disturbed.
There is an increasing risk that the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons will rise.
The possibility of maintaining global and regional stability will substantially decrease with the placement in Europe of elements of the global missile defense system of the United States of America.
The consequences of global financial-economic crises may become comparable, in terms of overall losses, to the consequences of large-scale application of military force.
13.In the long term, the Russian Federation will seek to construct international relations based on the principles of international law, and on the institution of reliable and equal security of nation-states.
For the defense of its national interests, Russia, while remaining within the boundaries of international law, will implement a rational and pragmatic foreign policy, one that excludes expensive confrontation, including a new arms race.
Russia perceives the United Nations and the Security Council of the United Nations as a central element of a stable system of international relations, at the basis of which lie respect, equal rights, and mutually beneficial cooperation among nations, resting on civilized political instruments for the resolution of global and regional crisis situations.
Russia will increase its interaction with multilateral fora such as the G8, G20, RIC (Russia/India/China), BRIC (Brazil/Russia/India/China), and will likewise capitalize on the potential of other informal international institutions.
The development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States is a priority direction of Russian foreign policy. Russia will seek to develop the potential for regional and sub regional integration and coordination among member states of the CIS, first of all within the framework of the Commonwealth, and also the CSTO and EvrAzEs, which exert a stabilizing influence on the overall situation in the regions bordering on the CIS.
Moreover, the CSTO is regarded as the main interstate instrument for responding to regional threats and challenges of a military-political or military-strategic nature, including the fight with illegal trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances.
14.Russia will promote the strengthening of EvrAzEs as the nucleus of economic integration, and instrument of assistance to the realization of major hydropower, infrastructural, industrial and other joint projects having a primarily regional significance.
15.Of particular significance for Russia will be the reinforcement of the political potential of the SCO, and the stimulation within its framework of practical steps towards the enhancement of mutual trust and partnership in the Central Asian region.
16.The Russian Federation is in favor strengthening the mechanisms of cooperation with the European Union by all possible means, including the continued formation of common spaces in the economic, educational, scientific and cultural spheres, and in terms of internal and external security. The long-term national interests of Russia are served by the creation of an open system of Euro-Atlantic collective security, on a clear legal and treaty basis.
17.A determining aspect of relations with NATO remains the fact that plans to extend the alliance’s military infrastructure to Russia’s borders, and attempts to endow NATO with global functions that go counter to norms of international law, are unacceptable to Russia.
Russia is prepared to develop relations with NATO on the basis of equality and in the interests of strengthening the general security of the Euro-Atlantic region. The content and depth of these relations will be determined by the preparedness of the alliance to recognize Russia’s legal interests when engaging in military-political planning, and to respect norms of international law; and likewise NATO’s readiness to consider the further transformation of these relations and the search for new tasks and functions with a humanitarian orientation.