Press Statement
9 June 2000
|
Statement
NATO-Russia
Permanent Joint Council
Meeting at Ministerial level held in Brussels on 9 June 2000
The NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council (PJC) met at the level of Defence
Ministers on Friday, 9 June 2000 in Brussels.
Ministers emphasised the important role of the partnership between NATO
and Russia for stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Allies
and Russia welcomed the recent steps, following the visit of the Secretary
General of NATO to Moscow last February, to strengthen consultation and
cooperation in the Permanent Joint Council on a broader range of issues.
In this context, they agreed to intensify their dialogue and cooperation
in the defence and military field on the basis of common interest, reciprocity
and transparency, as laid down in the NATO-Russia
Founding Act.
Ministers discussed the situation in the former Yugoslavia and noted
the continuing good cooperation on the ground between NATO and Russian
forces in SFOR and KFOR; they agreed to work for further improved cooperation
at all levels. They emphasised their joint determination to implement
in full the provisions of UNSCR
1244. They reaffirmed their joint resolve to stop violence against
ethnic minorities, to resist extremists, and to stand firmly together
against provocations or other attempts to undermine the peace process.
Together, with unity of purpose, they are determined to achieve their
objectives of multi-ethnicity in Kosovo, return of refugees and internally
displaced persons irrespective of their ethnic origin, strengthening of
local democratic structures, and establishment of a functioning judicial
system; and to win the fight against organised crime, arms and drugs trafficking
and illegal possession of weapons.
Ministers exchanged views on the defence-military priorities for the
NATO-Russia dialogue and cooperation. They emphasised the importance of
discussing the implementation of strategy and military doctrine, as a
means to enhance transparency, build confidence, and dispel misperceptions
with a view to ensuring stability. They agreed to pursue these discussions
both in the PJC and with military representatives under the auspices of
the PJC in the PJC-MR. They noted the PJC Work Programme for the remainder
of 2000 agreed in Florence. Ministers welcomed the positive outcome of
the recent meeting of the PJC-CS and subsequent progress on agreeing the
Work Plan for the meetings of military representatives.
Ministers welcomed the positive momentum of their fifth PJC Defence Ministers
meeting, and agreed to meet again in December in Brussels.

|