The Path to Pursue Global Security

By Sergey A.Ordzhonikidze

Vice –President of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation,former UN Under-Secretary General

The current stage of international relations development is to a big extent determined by the intensified struggle for opportunity to determine the “rules of the game” within the framework of the emerging multipolar world pattern.Today, one can observe how certain countries are trying to secure an exclusive right for decision making on behalf of the whole World.To achieve this goal, the daunting arsenal of methods of pressure on competitors is used.Generally accepted international legal norms and principles are ignored or selectively applied, and multilateral institutions are deliberately weakened.All these factors bring serious strategic uncertainty in international affairs, which in turn leads to an increase in mutual distrust and narrows the space for constructive interstate cooperation.Against this background, the global security and strategic stability nowadays face numerous challenges.

I.The international disarmament system is seriously impacted

First of all, the aggressive foreign policy of certain states endangers the non-proliferation regime, as only with nuclear weapons some weaker countries feel protected against the foreign military interference.Furthermore, we observe with regret the undermining of the existing system of nuclear arms control treaties.Within recent years the issues of nuclear weapons proliferation and collapse of the nuclear arms control system have gained dangerous momentum.Especially it concerns the binding-loss of the treaties between the major nuclear powers, such as the United States and the Russian Federation.

The intensity of discussions on arms control and non-proliferation was sharply reduced by Washington in 2014, along with the U.S.closure of contacts between the two militaries.In his contacts with President V.Putin, President D.Trump has repeatedly spoken in favor of engagement to curb the arms race.However, instead of establishing a dialogue, the American Administration provoked the final demise of the INF Treaty.The Americans blamed Russia for its alleged violation of the Treaty but never provided any evidence whatsoever to substantiate their accusations, and also refused to discuss our legitimate reciprocal concerns.On February 2,2019 the U.S.State Department formally notified that the United States suspended their participation in the INF Treaty, and would withdraw from it after six months.

The White House has also not decided on the possibility of extending after 2021 the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms(the New START).The Russian side has fully complied with the Treaty obligations.At the same time, the figures presented by the United States were achieved only thanks to real arms reductions.On the contrary, the re-equipment of fifty six Trident-II SLBM(submarine-launched ballistic missile)launchers and forty one B-52H heavy bomber aircrafts was designed in such a way that we cannot confirm their conversion to a state unsuitable for use of nuclear weapons.

The openly anti-Russian and anti-Chinese nuclear doctrine of the U.S.(the Nuclear Posture Review, 2018), in which the nuclear conflict is considered a real political option certainly gives rise to very serious concern.We also find the America’s persistent calls on China to join the nuclear arms control negotiations between Russia and the USA utterly unjust and farfetched as such negotiations must engage all the nuclear powers, including the military allies of the United States, i.e.the UK and France.

II.Space militarization activities worth high vigilance

Another issue of very high concern is the destructive plans of the USA to deploy space-based anti-missile weapons in order to ensure the "American dominance" in space.We believe that such steps would be extremely dangerous for global security as it will no longer be possible to stop an arms race in space after the deployment of weapons into Earth orbit by one country like opening a Pandora's box .Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to intensify international efforts in the sphere of arms control in space.A treaty on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS)proposed by Russia and China within the UN framework would establish reliable guarantees against the deployment of weapons into Earth orbit.

III.Cyber space international cooperation faces obstacles

The traditional conflicts between the major political and military powers nowadays are intensified against the backdrop of new socio-cultural and political realities as well as unprecedented technological advancement.

The cyber security problems remain a major challenge for the modern world as its dependence on new technologies is growing.Nowadays, the cyber-attacks can target critical infrastructure and defense of any state.Fully aware of the potential threats in the ICT field the Russian Federation has repeatedly brought up the issue of cyber security on the international stage both in bilateral dealings with the governments of other countries and in the framework of the United Nations.Russia has also made serious efforts to elaborate the rules of conduct in the international cyber space in collaboration with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)members.Among the SCO achievements is the Agreement among the Governments of the SCO Member States on Cooperation in the Field of Ensuring International Information Security concluded in 2009.In 2015 the SCO submitted to the UNGA the draft on International Code of Conduct on Information Security.

Meanwhile, we can observe how certain states unwilling to bind themselves by any international obligations in the sphere of ICT security hypocritically accuse other countries of aggressive actions in cyberspace.The United States and their allies do not support the Russian initiatives as they probably believe that they can achieve domination in cyberspace.In the last years of the Obama Administration the White House in particular ignored the Russian proposal to conclude the document that could guarantee non-interference in internal affairs of each other by using cyber technologies.

We strongly believe that the risks connected to the ICT security field are often greatly underestimated and urgent international efforts are needed in confronting them.In the fall of 2018 Russia submitted a draft document on cyber security to the UN General Assembly(UNGA).This document provides for the consideration of three major topics: the standards of responsible behavior for states, the applicability of international law to information space, and assistance to developing countries in ensuring cyber security.These rules are supported by most of the UN member states except for the United States and some of their allies.In December 2018 the UNGA approved the Russian initiative on creation of an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG)on International Cyber Security which started its work in June 2019, which helps to ensure the negotiations at UN on this area more democratic, inclusive and transparent.Such constructive and peaceful approach to cyber security was introduced by Russia as early as in 1998 but it was repeatedly categorically rejected by Washington.

IV.The Political will to counter terrorism needs to turn into real actions

Following the rise of fundamentalist ideologies, terrorism has become one of the most urgent threats to global security in the 21stcentury.The support of terrorist organizations by certain states that pursue their political interests through their proxies in other countries is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible.The international community must unequivocally condemn terrorism and make every effort to jointly respond to its threat.It is indeed a good sign that despite the complicated bilateral relations the Russian Federation and the USA continue their joint counterterrorism efforts.Thus, it was possible to reconstruct the working group on countering terrorism, which had existed in 2002-2014.The first meeting in an updated form was held on December 13, 2018 in Vienna.On March 26,2019 also in Vienna, a meeting of experts took place.Such meetings demonstrate that when there is political will the cooperation between the two countries is possible.

As a whole, the current dangerous developments in the World are certainly connected to the lack of strategic stability and the challenges of multipolarity.Nevertheless,we must realize that the already existing architecture of global security embodied in the United Nations Organization remains the greatest achievement of the humanity in the 20thcentury and has yet no alternative to this day.It appears that it would be in the interests of the overwhelming majority of states to streamline international relations on the basis of a return to recognition of the basic principles and norms of international law as uniform“rules of the game” and the inviolability of the UN role as a universal regulator of world politics.It is necessary to respect the cultural,historical and civilizational values and interests of all countries, to rejection of “zero-sum game” logic, double standards and bloc thinking, especially in the matters of maintaining international security, which is in great demand.

Just like in the UN in this room there are no “chosen nations” and we must seek the solutions to global security issues together.