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NATO chief urges new level of ties with Russia
By Jon Boyle
MOSCOW, Nov 22 (Reuters) - NATO chief George Robertson called on Thursday for Russia and the Western alliance to move relations to a new level but offered no clues on whether Moscow would have a say in the affairs of its old Cold War adversary.
In a speech in Volgograd, site of the crucial Soviet victory over Germany in the World War Two battle of Stalingrad, the NATO secretary-general said only a coalition similar to that which defeated Nazism 60 years ago could beat international terrorism.
The September 11 attacks on the United States had spawned a global coalition of which Russia was a crucial member, Robertson said in a keynote speech in the southern Russian city.
"I believe that we have now reached the end of the beginning of the NATO-Russia relationship," said Robertson, a copy of whose speech was provided to Reuters by NATO officials. The two old enemies signed a post-Cold War cooperation accord in 1997.
"It is time to move to a new level. Where we face the new challenges of the 21st century together, as trusting friends, and as brothers in arms," Robertson added.
Russia and NATO were "essential security players in Europe" and "there can be no lasting solutions to the most serious security challenges we face unless NATO and Russia cooperate."
RUSSIAN VOICE IN NATO
Robertson later arrived in Moscow for talks with Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, who on Wednesday said Moscow wanted a say in NATO's decision-making process. At the moment, the alliance only consults Moscow after it has decided policy.
"The essence of our proposals is to create a completely new mechanism to act together as equals -- NATO members and Russia," said Ivanov, one of those closest to President Vladimir Putin.
"This would enable Russia to have, if you like, voting rights, the right to take decisions and abandon all current forms of cooperation within the Permanent Joint Council (PJC). The mechanism is not really working. Everyone recognises this."
The 1997 PJC accord provides for monthly meetings between NATO and Russian officials but lacks political clout.
Putin, who meets Robertson on Friday, has broken with decades of Russian policy by making integration with the West
Putin, who meets Robertson on Friday, has broken with decades of Russian policy by making integration with the West a key strategy of his administration -- despite strong dissent within Moscow's military and foreign policy establishment.
Putin has been a vocal supporter of the military campaign to hunt down those behind the suicide airliner attacks on New York and the Pentagon. He ordered security chiefs to share intelligence on Afghanistan with U.S. officials and cleared the way for U.S. troops to deploy in Moscow's Central Asia backyard.
Putin has also softened, but not dropped, his hostility to NATO's expansion up to Russia's borders, as the prospect draws closer of ex-Soviet republics joining the Western alliance.
BRITAIN PROPOSES CLOSER TIES
Responding to Putin's overtures, British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote to Putin last week proposing setting up a new body to deepen cooperation.
Diplomats at NATO's Brussels headquarters say Blair's initiative appeared to have Washington's blessing since it followed last week's friendly summit between Putin and Bush.
The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Richard Burns, told reporters on Wednesday that there might be "even a possibility of j oint decision-making" in future cooperation with Russia.
Putin has long held that international terrorism poses a bigger threat to global security than rogue rockets, a message that has found a new resonance in the West since September 11.
However, some NATO members, notably former Soviet bloc states with painful memories of military domination by Moscow, are wary of more than incremental cooperation with Russia in areas such as counter-terrorism and peacekeeping.
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