17 Oct 2007
The North Atlantic Council and the NATO-Russia Council respectively, discussed on 17 October missile defence issues. The sessions were a continuation of consultation meetings held at NATO HQ last year, as well as in February and April 2007.
National delegations included high-ranking officials and experts from capitals. For example, the US team was headed by Under Secretary of Defence Eric Edelman, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried and Director of the Missile Defense Agency General Henry Obering, while the Russian delegation was led by Ambassador Anatoliy Antonov from the Foreign Ministry and General Alexander Yakushin of Russian Space Forces.
Both meetings provided an opportunity for briefings and information exchanges.
Allies reviewed work on missile defence directed by the Heads of State and Government at the Riga summit, as well as by the Allied Defence Ministers in June this year. A comprehensive report on this subject is expected next year.
The NATO-Russia Council session included updates on bilateral consultations, most notably the ongoing dialogue between the US and Russia, as well as current projects undertaken in the framework of the NATO-Russia cooperation, such as the Theatre Missile Defence initiative. The meeting was conducted in the spirit of openness, frankness and confidence building.
