Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Russia, NATO to Cooperate in Deploying Theater Missile Defense System
Russia and NATO agreed to jointly set up a non-strategic theater missile defense system, NATO Secretary General George Robertson said in Moscow on Tuesday.
Russia and NATO agreed to jointly set up a non-strategic theater missile defense system, NATO Secretary General George Robertson said in Moscow on Tuesday.
Robertson told a press conference after a NATO-Russia Council (NRC) permanent representatives meeting that each of the 19 NATO members and Russia has pledged to finance this project.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov expressed his satisfaction with the military cooperation between Russia and NATO
at the session, pointing out that "theoretical discussion of issues has been turned to a practical path."
The minister revealed that drafting of new agreements on joint military efforts is on the agenda, and the two sides are planning to conclude a memorandum on interaction in the disposal of Russian arms, particularly anti-personnel mines.
Interaction between Moscow and NATO is serious and comprehensive, and "Russian-NATO relations have high potential on the whole," he said.
Robertson also expressed satisfaction with the progress made in NATO-Russia relations over the past year, saying the two sides have done a great amount of work and made significant progress since the Russia-NATO Council was established a year ago.
The secretary general noted that the disagreements on Iraq between NATO and Russia have proven not to be insurmountable, saying that it is a sign of stable working relations between NATO and Russia as the two just differ in opinions without quarreling over the Iraqi events.
Robertson arrived in Moscow on Monday night to attend the NRC session, the first meeting since the council was established on May 28 last year in Rome.