Half a century ago Russia and the United States, despite enormous political differences, combined efforts against Nazism. Now we are joined by common democratic values, and it is even more obvious that a struggle against a world threat requires the cooperation of our countries and the entire world community. The defeat of the Taliban is only the beginning of a difficult road.

After World War II, the victorious countries deliberated on creating mechanisms of international cooperation that would prevent another such catastrophe. Thus was born the United Nations, which has served as a universal mechanism ensuring world peace and security.

Today we are facing essentially the same problem. The events of Sept. 11 demonstrated the extreme vulnerability of modern countries to new threats. We lack reliable mechanisms to counter them or to prevent new acts of terror, or to keep weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists.

That is why one of the most urgent tasks is the strengthening of the world antiterrorist coalition. Only on the basis of such a coalition is it possible to create an atmosphere of total rejection of terrorists' actions and to banish then from their last nests. The present solidarity against terrorism provides a unique chance to begin constructing a system of international security adequate to address 21st-century threats. Russian-American cooperation can play the decisive role in creating such a system.

Common sense suggests that work in this direction would be better conducted under the auspices of the United Nations and on the basis of strengthening international law. The Security Council and the General Assembly have already adopted decisions containing the legal basis for a long-term struggle with terrorism.

Regional organizations can also contribute, as in the efforts to create a new quality in relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Russia does not raise the question of joining the North Atlantic alliance; at the same time, we are prepared to cooperate with it in areas of shared interest. The experience of the last decade proves that such cooperation can be effective only if it is based on the principles of equality. Hence the idea of creating a mechanism of cooperation within the framework of "the 20" ?the NATO member nations and Russia ?which can provide joint development and implementation of decisions in the fight against terrorism and in responding to other contemporary challenges.

Bilateral relations must also play an important role in the new international security system. It is widely recognized, for example, that Russian-American relations have been and remain one of the main factors determining the state of world politics, especially on security issues.

Over the decades, Russia and America maintained strategic stability based on a series of disarmament and arms control agreements. Last year saw rapprochement between our two countries pick up speed after Sept. 11. The commonality of interests between Russia and the United States in finding answers to new threats and challenges is at the heart of this rapprochement. Today we are about to make a very important choice: Will Moscow and Washington seek ways to strengthen security together, or will each country take its own path, probably at the expense of the other's security?

In this sense, the events of the past year are ambiguous. On the one hand the United States made a decision ?an erroneous one, in our opinion ?to withdraw from the 1972 antiballistic missile treaty. At the same time our countries started a dialogue on a probable new agreement on deep cuts in strategic offensive weapons because we are no longer adversaries. A new framework of strategic relations is to be created in the course of these negotiations. Russia is prepared to work out far-reaching understandings on disarmament with the United States, based on principles of mutual trust, predictability and transparency. This could become a most important positive signal for the entire world community. The nature of Russian-American relations and the attitudes of our countries will also have a significant impact on many other problems of the day, like settling the Middle East conflict and other regional conflicts.

It is symbolic of new global conditions that Afghanistan, which for decades was a stumbling block in relations between Moscow and Washington, has become an example of close cooperation of our countries in the struggle against terrorism. Much remains to be done under the auspices of the United Nations in rendering humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan. We hope that what is achieved there will serve as an example of the kind of cooperation on which the new world order will be built.

Vast new prospects are also opening up for Russian-American relations in spheres like economics. There are good reasons to hope that in this new year mutual understanding between our countries will deepen. Several important agreements were reached between President Putin and President Bush at meetings last fall. Many of these agreements are to be filled with substantive content. In fulfilling those agreements, Russia and the United States will serve their own interests and will strengthen international security as a whole.

Igor S. Ivanov is the Russian foreign minister.