05 October 2007,
Reykjavik
NATO-RUSSIA RELATIONS: PAUSE OR
TURNING POINT?
Rolf Welberts,
the newly appointed Head of the Russia/Ukraine Section in NATO, in an address to
the NATO PAÂ’s NATO-Russia Parliamentary Committee in Reykjavik, said that NATO
Russia co-operation has come a long way since the signature in 2002 of the
NATO-Russia Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Co-operation and Security, which
offers a unique forum for political and practical
cooperation
Nevertheless, despite good practical co-operation on
projects such as the Action Plan on Terrorism, the co-operative airspace
initiative, theatre missile defence, the pilot project for Counter-Narcotics
Training of Afghan and central Asian personnel, there is still a lot to do to
maintain what has been achieved and to reach more ambitious goals. This is
particularly true for military co-operation and air lifting. “Are we
witnessing a change of attitude” asked Mr. Welberts “or merely a step back to
pause and think that will eventually result in a new impetus for NATO-Russia
co-operation?” He emphasised that NATO Allies and Russia, despite differences of
opinion, had common interests that could provide a solid basis for further
increased co-operation.
NATO-Russia relations are facing problems,
the NATO official indicated, because of real or perceived disagreements between
the two sides over such issues as CFE, missile defence, Kosovo and the
AllianceÂ’s enlargement. Several NATO Parliamentarians also expressed
concerns over a host of recent developments in Russia which they feared could
lead to a deterioration in relations with NATO countries. However, Russian
participants strongly rebutted those fears, which they said were groundless.
Yuri Gorlatch - Deputy Director at the European Cooperation
Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation - who
also spoke at the meeting in Reykjavik, said that Russia is still undergoing a
difficult transition period and it was important to enhance the ability to work
together for “common interests of strategic importance” and not isolate Russia
or create a new Cold War.
Mirroring the creation of the NATO-Russia
Council, the NATO PA has created the NATO-Russia parliamentary Committee to
allow discussions at the level of 27. Meeting twice a year during sessions, the
Committee has become the main framework for direct NATO-Russia parliamentary
relations.
************************************************************************************
Roberta
Calorio
Rose-Roth Seminar
and Media Relations co-ordinator
Executive Office
NATO
Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Place du Petit Sablon
3
1000 Brussels
Belgium
' +32 2 504 8154
(Direct Line)
'
+32 2 513 2865
(Switchboard)
1
+32 2 514 1847
* rcalorio@nato-pa.int
Website: www.nato-pa.int
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