Press Summary 17 Dec. 1997

Press Summary NATO - Russia Permanent Joint Council Meeting At Foreign Ministers' Level Brussels, 17 December 1997 The second meeting of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council at the level of Foreign Ministers took place on Wednesday, 17 December 1997 in Brussels. Ministers reviewed the implementation of the NATO-Russia Founding Act since their last meeting. They welcomed the positive development of NATO-Russia relations and the substantial increase of consultation and cooperation achieved over the last few months, at the level of Foreign Ministers, Defence Ministers, Chiefs of General Staff and Ambassadors. Ministers welcomed the steps taken to implement the 1997 Work Programme and approved a specific Work Programme for the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council for 1998. The Work Programme is aimed at enhancing the security of NATO and Russia as well as that of all nations in the Euro-Atlantic area. It outlines a number of priority issues for consultations and information exchange, such as measures to promote cooperation, transparency and confidence; strategy, defence policy and military doctrines of NATO and Russia, budgets and infrastructure development programmes, as well as disarmament and arms control, and peacekeeping. It also includes practical cooperation activities such as Russia's participation in the Partnership for Peace, cooperation in the scientific and environmental fields, civil emergency planning, the retraining of retired military personnel and aspects of defence conversion. Ministers stressed the importance of an increased defence-related and military cooperation. They welcomed the appointment of Russia's Senior Military Representative at NATO Headquarters and the beginning of regular meetings between NATO and Russian Military Representatives, which will now be held monthly under the auspices of the Permanent Joint Council. Ministers evaluated the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. All participants highly valued NATO-Russia cooperation in SFOR. They reiterated their determination to continue their close cooperation under the Peace Agreement to help bring peace and security to Bosnia. They strongly endorsed the conclusions of last week's Peace Implementation Conference (PIC) in Bonn, and called upon the Parties to the Peace Agreement to cooperate fully towards the fulfilment of their commitments. NATO and Russian Ministers exchanged views on peacekeeping operations, based on a report by the Political-Military Working Group on Cooperation in Peacekeeping under the Permanent Joint Council and stressed the importance of continuing their common work in this field. All participants expressed their determination to further work in a constructive spirit and to substantiate the NATO-Russia cooperation under the Founding Act. They agreed to meet again at Ministerial level in Luxemburg, in May 1998.