Ariel Cohen of the Heritage Foundation has an interesting op/ed in the Washington Times arguing for greater attention to rule of law, which in all likelihood will not make its way onto the busy agenda for the meeting today between Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev.  Cohen was also recently the editor of a major paper about U.S.-Russia relations.

President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will meet Wednesday on the sidelines at the Group of 20 summit. Ironically, that’s one day after the trial of former Russian oilman Mikhail Khodorkovsky opens in Moscow. This trial symbolizes the deterioration of the rule of law in Russia.

While the two leaders – both former law professors – will have their hands full with economic and security matters, the rule of law also should figure prominently on their bilateral agenda. A healthy legal system is necessary to protect the rights of foreign and domestic investors and to facilitate the development of civil society and human rights.(…)