>From a wide-circulation and serious Russian daily newspaper. English
translation of title is simply "Independent Newspaper."
Chris Doss The Russia Journal ---------------------------
Nezavisimaya Gazeta February 6, 2002 RUSSIA MAY RETAIN ITS CUBAN BASE AT LOURDES Vladimir Putin's strategic gifts to the US were in vain Author: Vadim Solovyov [from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html] IN 2001, PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN MADE TWO STRATEGIC GIFTS TO THE US: RUSSIA WOULD WITHDRAW FROM ITS MILITARY BASES AT CAM RANH, VIETNAM AND LOURDES, CUBA, HOPING THAT THE US WOULD GIVE UP THE IDEA OF QUITTING THE ABM TREATY. HOWEVER, THESE GIFTS WERE IN VAIN; SO SOME SAY RUSSIA SHOULD KEEP LOURDES.
Russia may retain its military base at Lourdes, Cuba. It is often said in Moscow that Russia should not have given such a generous present to the US. As it has turned out, the proposal to dismantle the base was a tactic move of the General Staff and the Main Intelligence Agency (MIA). The federal Agency for the Government Liaison and Information (FAGLI) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) have their interests in Cuba too, but the General Staff and the MIA did not consult with them. Well-informed sources are saying that the General Staff has framed the president.
Russia's withdrawal from the naval base in Cam Ranh and abandonment of the large intelligence center in Lourdes were Russian President Vladimir Putin's presents to his American counterpart on the eve of his visit to the US. However, these presents are acquiring a new political shape now. Forecasting consequences of these steps, none of analysts thought that the Pentagon would try to regain its military-political presence in Southeastern Asia. Meanwhile, last weekend, Commander of the US Armed Forces in the Pacific region Admiral Dennis Blair announced after negotiations in Hanoi that the US Navy will soon return to the military base in Cam Ranh. This means that in 2004, when the agreement between Moscow and Hanoi expires, the American flag will again be hoisted in Cam Ranh after a 31-years interval.
Thus, Putin's friendly gesture has been uniquely construed by the US administration. This event has proven that Russia is not only unable to construct its relations with countries starting developing market economy, like Vietnam, but also retain strategic achievements of the Soviet Union.
Experts claim that the base at Cam Ranh is practically destroyed, since not a single kopeck has been allocated to it for the past decade. Some 500 of the service personnel at the base have not carried out their duties for a long time, and are earning their living from private business. Besides, Vietnam has put the question of Russia's payment for maintenance of the base and repayment of debts of the past few years.
Vietnam's expenditures on this base over the past decade have been $300 million a year. Meanwhile, Vietnam owes Russia about $15 billion.
It seems that a rather profitable offset may be made. However, Moscow has unilaterally reduced Vietnam's state debt down to $3.7 billion. But the main point is that Putin's strategic present was in vain: on December 13, US President George W. Bush announced America's unilateral withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty of 1972.
After Bush's announcements some authorities in Moscow started to think about returning of the base in Lourdes. Visiting Cuba in 2000, Putin highly estimated the work of the personnel of this base. Its importance has not dwindled now that it turns out that the US does not intend to reconsider its views of the Chechen issue, strategic stability, etc. despite its numerous announcements. Russia has a chance to retaliate to the US' intention to unilaterally withdraw from the ABM treaty. In any case, Cuba does not object to this basis. Besides, Russia will not manage to economize $200 million a year on maintenance of the base in Cuba because the payments have been made by means of mutual offsets. (Translated by Kirill Frolov)