[War] Russia/China: "Renwed Cooperation"

[Michael Downey]

"Renewed Cooperation"
President Nemerenko, Russia
President Hong, China
1 Februaru 2014
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<Moscow>

A new meeting   for  a  new year.  President  Nemerenko  waited   patiently in
his  office  for  President Hong to   arrive  after her plane  touched   down
at  Sheremetyevo   International  Airport. He also hoped   it  would be   the
beginning of a new  pace   for  Sino-Russo  relations,  which had  suffered
in the  past  two   years.   Granted on the exterior the two  countries
still
maintained   a  close  economic relationship and  Russia  did    operate
several  medical  camps in  North Korea.  Those  were issues  of  mutual
gain.   Everybody  liked   money, and it was in  Moscow's interests    for
China  to  succeed in  stabilizing the  former   DPRK.

The  relationship   between the  two    Presidents was mutually  antagonistic.
The  unwillingness  of   the  PRC to  sign a   non-aggression pact with while
offering  such   proposals  to   Japan  and South Korea had   greatly
heightened   Nemerenko's  attitudes   towards   his (increasingly  powerful)
Far    East  neighbor and their designs upon     Siberia.

"But  then  again  they are so occupied with  Korea, would  they   have   the
resources to   attacks us?" he asked Miniter   Denemetov as  he   turned  away
from  his window and the  view of  Red   Square.

"Nuclear  powers do  not   go to war  with   nuclear powers," observed the
Foreign    Minister.  "Trade   with  China has been beneficial.   Continuing
an  atmosphere   of  low-level    antagonism is bad for business.
Improving
our.....   your working relationship  with  President  Hong  is   logical,
simply  for purposes  of   trade."

"That's   why I invited  her  here,"   replied  Nemerenko. An FSO agent  stuck
his head  into   the   office,  indicating that the Chinese   leader  would
arrive in a  few  moments.   "As you  said, we   could both use the trade  and
our continued   cooperation   over   North Korea  benefits the  external
security of both  our   countries.    Necessity  makes strange  bedfellows."

"Like    President   Williams?"  asked  Denemetov.

"Let's  not  mention him,  shall   we?"  whispered Nemerenko as  Hong
entered.

Xia and  her   associate,  a  member from the  Chinese Ministry of  State
and
rated
interpreter entered  the  room.   Although  Xia spoke  perfect  American
English
in    addition  to several dialects of  Chinese, she  barely had   a  grasp on
rudimentary  Russian, and there  were some   things   that could get lost  in
translation
that  you   really didn't  want  to.  Xia gave Nemerenko  a   warm,
congenial
smile.
"Mister   President, it's  good to see   you."   And for   once they  weren't
either
at
each   other's throats, on  the brink   of a major   catastrophy or  war,   or
dealing
with  territorial  disputes.   "Moscow   is   indeed a  beautiful a city."

"I  can speak  English,"  said    Nemerenko. The language  of their 'enemy,'
it was common  for    educated   Russians to pick it up, especially for  one
with a    diplomatic  background  like the President. His  English   wasn't
as
good as his Japanese and  had  a heavy   Slavic  accent, but not to  the
point that he couldn't  be   clearly   understood. "I hope you  enjoy  your
stay. Sochi  has  more activity  buzzing  around it  with  the  Olympics
coming  up, but Moscow always has   its own  special   charm." He  exchanged
handshakes with  Hong and  offered  here one of the   seats  near the  coffee
table  placed in the center of his     office.

"Let me  begin  by saying that I am pleased by  your   progress  in  North
Korea," continued   Nemerenko once they were  both   seated. "I  know you
and  I have had our  differences in  the  past,  but in  this  instance I
think Russia owes your    country a  debt. By  moving into North  Korea you
have prevented  a   major  military and  humanitarian crises in  the   Far
East. And  your administration of   the country has   gone  reasonably  well.
Minor incidents of violence are   to  be  expected, but   China has still
done an admiral  job. To  that  end, I would like   to  inquire about  the
future  development of the  North Korean  economy  and  the   possibility of
Russian    investment?"

"I'm sure North  Korea  will be open to  foreign   investment  relatively
shortly."  Xia  offered  with a polite  smile,   rather surprised by  the
thus  far  amicable
nature  her  Russian   counterpart was showing.  So far,  she'd   done   her
best
to
keep the North Korean economy not so much    isolated,  but   protected from
the
vultures that  were  foreign   businessmen.   Chinese  investors  had
naturally
been
required to  begin the  modernization  of  North  Korea,  but the  Chinese
President
had   been  'mostly'  successful in  giving North Koreans  with the  means
and
ability first shot at  rebuilding their own  economy.    "I'm  sure   you
understand the
need  to allow North Koreans  themselves  to  be   afforded the  opportunity
to
buy
into   their own future  first.  I can  see  to  it that  China  presses North
Korea
to  allow  Russia to  be  among  the  first foreign nations invited,
however."
And
with  the    influence she had in North Korea,  it  was a  better offer than
 a
guarantee.

"The Russian   government  might be interested in  investing  into   local
companies," explained  Nemerenko. "Depending  on how  things  develop  over
the next few years of  course.   Providing  investment capital,  equipment
and expertise to  North    Korean-owned companies as they arise." He   was
pleased that the   Chinese  would allow Russia to be one  of the  first
foreign   economies, other than  their own,  to invest into North   Korea.
He  considered it payment  for  Russia being the first world  power   to
endorse  China's occupation and  remain a vocal  proponent in the   UN.  "It
goes without saying that we  will  continue to  operate  our  humanitarian
and medical camps for  the   foreseeable  future."

"I will of course extend your  courteous  offer  through our  embassy to the
North Korean   government."  If it would  benefit the  Korean people, she
saw
no
reason to allow for that kind of   interaction.   The  North Koreans, if  they
were
to remain  an   independent and  sovereign nation, would require allies   to
counter
the   prevailing western philosophy of  'reunification'...  code for   western
dominance of the Korean  peninsula.  "Our nations'   strategic   interests
seem  to be
paralleling each other,  mister   President.   Though you've previously
rejected
the  offer  of  an East-Asian alliance  along the lines of the   European
Union,
I
believe we can all see the  benefit of a   common security   directive.
Whether
it be against    piracy, terrorism, or rogue  nations,  unfortunately   our
geographical  area of the world is  fraught with    peril."

"In 2001 Putin and Zemin  signed the  'Treaty of   Good-Neighborliness and
Friendly Cooperation Between  the   People's  Republic of China and the
Russian Federation,' or the   'Friendly   Cooperation Treaty' for short,"
explained Nemerenko.  "The FCT  contained  all  the provisions that both
of us  desire. Economic, security  and  technological  cooperation,  as
well as a provision for   non-aggression. A subject that  my  government
is very interested in,  as  you are well aware.  Unfortunately due to  the
economic and  political  troubles  both our nations went through  around
2010, the  treaty fell   apart. I propose we renew it for another  ten
years  from the  point  onward."

"I'm not particularly sure renewing   the  treaty, precisely  as it was
written, would be fair to either   side.   Situations have  by necessity,
changed."   Xia  knitted her hands together  in her  lap.  "However  I
would be  amenable to working on altering the  text  of the  agreement  to
better suit the current global climate,  with    you."

"Fair enough," replied Nemerenko. "What  alterations would you   like  to
see?"

"If I may quote  from Article 7... In accordance  with  the  current
agreements,
the contracting parties shall adopt  measures  to  increase trust  between
their
militaries and reduce   military forces in  the border areas. The
contracting
parties  shall expand and deepen  confidence building  measures in the
military
field so as to consolidate  each other's  security and  strengthen  regional
and
international   stability."  She  looked up from her copy of the   treaty.
"Clearly  military  exercises conducted with a potential  adversary
could be seen   as
violating this article as it would  imperil the trust between   our
militaries."

"The wargames  we held with the Americans last year,"  said  Nemerenko.
It wasn't  that hard to read between the lines in this  instance. "I  am
not  going to deny that I intend to foster good  relations with  the
West,  the Americans in particular. Not an alliance,  not like  what they
have with  your mutual ally Pakistan or some such  thing,  simply
friendship. This is a  policy you have also pursued, such   as your own
exercises with the French  Navy. I am willing to agree  never  stage
military exercises with any nation of  the NATO bloc  in  Siberia."

"War games on the open sea, and war games in adjacent  national  territories
with broader alliances are two very different  things."  Xia  commented
before
adding "there is more to  Russia than Siberia, mister  President.   Might I
suggest a  mutual military exercise  regimen?"

"As I said, no NATO military  exercises in the Siberian or Far  East
Military Districts," reiterated  Nemerenko. "That is everything  past
the Urals, over half of Russia, an  area the size of Canada. I  can't
make a buffer much bigger than that.  I, by no choice of my own,  must
share Europe with the North Atlantic  alliance and the EU. And  because
of this we have mutual security  concerns in Eastern Europe I must  be
willing to cooperate over. Unlike  the Soviets, I can't just role  the
Red Army out if something occurs in  one of our European border  states,
many of whom are either in NATO or  the EU. So as I said, no  NATO
military exercises in Siberia or the Far  East districts. But  security
cooperation in the European theater can  and will  continue."

Nemerenko was worried. He had misgauged just  how paranoid Hong  was in
regards to the US and NATO. But she was in no  position to dictate  how
the Federation dealt with its European  neighbors. If she was smart  she
wouldn't push this. Article 8 of the  FCT also stipulated neutrality  if
on party should engage in hostilities  with a secondary power and  would
forbid Russia from every allowing NATO  or the Americans for using  its
territory to stage military operations  against China.

"Well I certainly understand Mister President, however  you'd asked which
parts of the treaty may require re-writing."  Xia  opted to refocus the
conversation back on the original question.  "My  point however stands,
if  we both wish
to pursue operations that  could be conceived as violating the  treaty as it
is written, the  obvious course of action is to re-write it so those
operations
are no  longer in violation, correct?"

The President nodded. "Agreed. I would  also like to make clear the
Russia is not and has no intention of every being  an ally of the
United States. I do seek better relations with them and  cooperation in
our mutual European theater, but well... you probably know  quite a bit
about the American mentality. Vietnam, Iraq, to name some of the  more
dramatic examples. Russia was not the only party guilty of  imperialism
and meddling during the Cold War. We are fortunate that the US  has
been somewhat more benign as of late, but that can change.

"As for  a standard training regime, I suggest we let the General
Staffs of our  respective military forces work out the details."

"Certainly a reasonable course of procedure."  Xia nodded in  agreement.
"May I suggest we also include language regarding cooperation  in scientific
discovery and humanitarianism in Asia and Eastern  Europe?"

"I see no reason to refuse."
---

Actions:
1) Russia and China agree to renew the Friendship and Cooperation
Treaty for 10 years, pending modification by boths sides
2) Russia agrees to cease holding exercises with NATO countries in the
Siberian and Far East Military Districts
3) Russia will be given preferential treatment in investments in North Korea
4) Russia and China will agree to better humanitarian cooperation in
Asia and Eastern Europe