Russian Senators visit NATO
For the first time since 2003 a group of Russian Senators paid a visit to NATO HQ and SHAPE on 23-24 May 2011. The visit was organised by the Public Diplomacy Division/NATO Information Office in Moscow.
Members of the Foreign Affairs and Defence and Security Committees of the Russian Federation Council (Senators Nikolay Fedoryak, Alexander Chekalin, Valery Shnyakin and Vladimir Kulakov) – accompanied by members of their staff and parliamentary experts – spent two days discussing key issues of relevance for the NATO-Russia relationship. In a free flowing exchange of views with NATO and national representatives the Senators debated such topics as political and practical work of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), NATO’s military operations and missions (in particular focusing on Afghanistan and Libya) as well as prospects for extending military cooperation between NATO and Russia.
At NATO HQ in Brussels the group met with Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, Deputy Secretary General, with a number of high ranking NATO officials and took part in a panel with Permanent Representatives of the Czech Republic, Germany and the United States. They also met with Mr David Hobbs, the Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
During a visit to SHAPE Senators had an opportunity to meet with the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), Admiral James Stavridis and receive briefings on NATO-led operations.