Press Release {Number} 15 Oct. 2003

Press Statement by the Secretary General of NATO in his capacity as Chairman of the NATO-Russia Council NATO-Russia Information, Consultation and Training Centre As part of the wide range of co-operation between NATO and Russia, the members of the NATO-Russia Council have identified military-to-military co operation and defence reform as priority areas. In that context, the NATO-Russia Council recognised today the significant work achieved by the NATO-Russia Information, Consultation and Training Centre in Moscow. Founded in June 2001 to assist in the resettlement of Russian military personnel who have been discharged from the Russian Armed Forces, the Centre has: graduated 210 trainers who are already active in the field of resettlement; established a central website in Moscow and six regional websites, providing information on employment, housing, professional retraining, small business development and other important topics; initiated training of 200 students in such important professional fields as computer techniques, management and accounting; developed and distributed educational and training material; and organised six seminars on retraining over the last eighteen months in different regions of Russia. The Centre responds to a practical need as Russia seeks to carry forward the significant challenges posed by the reform of its defence structures, and demonstrates that NATO and Russia can work together as genuine partners. The NATO-Russia Council looks forward to the continued success of this important project.

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