The West Underestimated New Threats in the Past Decade

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov believes that the underestimation by some Western countries of the threats and challenges in the early 1990s did not enable the international community to start modernising in a timely manner the principal security instruments.

In particular, said Igor Ivanov, this is true for the North-Atlantic Alliance.

"In the past few years NATO lived in a state of euphoria, and only recently has it started changing its structures," noted the minister, speaking at the seminar titled Russia in Global Politics.

According to him, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 clearly demonstrated to the international community the need of a joint reply to new threats and challenges and making global processes controllable.

"Since Russia was the first to live through a whole complex of new threats, it repeatedly pointed out their danger and called for uniting efforts of all countries in the formation of a new world order," the minister pointed out.

Currently, the Russian foreign minister believes, it is necessary to form a new system of international relations, which would require purposeful efforts of all states.

According to Igor Ivanov, the new world order must be first and foremost multipolar. "Today, nobody would question the fact that different centres of influence exist in the world. That is why the new world order must reflect these realities," the minister believes. Apart from that, the new world order must rest on the widest multi-polar co-operation and co-ordination of different structures' activities.

As Igor Ivanov put it, such world order can be viewed as a pyramid at the top of which should be the United Nations with its Security Council as a body bearing the main responsibility for security in the world. The next level will be occupied by different regional organisations which, in their turn, will rest, as the minister said, on "the dense material of bilateral relations." Ivanov said such world order would enable the world community to counter unilateral tendencies, which are extremely dangerous in the contemporary world.

In particular, said Igor Ivanov, this is true for the North-Atlantic Alliance.

"In the past few years NATO lived in a state of euphoria, and only recently has it started changing its structures," noted the minister, speaking at the seminar titled Russia in Global Politics.

According to him, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 clearly demonstrated to the international community the need of a joint reply to new threats and challenges and making global processes controllable.

"Since Russia was the first to live through a whole complex of new threats, it repeatedly pointed out their danger and called for uniting efforts of all countries in the formation of a new world order," the minister pointed out.

Currently, the Russian foreign minister believes, it is necessary to form a new system of international relations, which would require purposeful efforts of all states.

According to Igor Ivanov, the new world order must be first and foremost multipolar. "Today, nobody would question the fact that different centres of influence exist in the world. That is why the new world order must reflect these realities," the minister believes. Apart from that, the new world order must rest on the widest multi-polar co-operation and co-ordination of different structures' activities.

As Igor Ivanov put it, such world order can be viewed as a pyramid at the top of which should be the United Nations with its Security Council as a body bearing the main responsibility for security in the world. The next level will be occupied by different regional organisations which, in their turn, will rest, as the minister said, on "the dense material of bilateral relations." Ivanov said such world order would enable the world community to counter unilateral tendencies, which are extremely dangerous in the contemporary world.