7 Dec 2007
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) with his Allied counterparts at NATO Headquarters on 7 December. While serious disagreements persist on some issues, ministers reiterated the continued importance of the NRC as a unique forum for frank and dynamic political exchanges.
They also reviewed the progress of the NRC's work and future priorities, and how best to move joint projects forward.
The Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty was a key topic of discussion. Allied ministers expressed concern over the Russian President's decision, a week earlier, to sign a decree suspending Russia's participation in the treaty as of 12 December. While differences remain on this issue, it is important to note that the Allies are committed to ratifying the amended version of the CFE Treaty. Discussions are ongoing with Russia, both in the framework of the NRC and that of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, on how to make this possible.
Speaking to the press after the NRC meeting, Minister Lavrov emphasized that "The 12th of December is not going to be a deadline for anything at all. We will continue to negotiate and we hope some kind of common agreement can be reached."
Ministers also discussed other contentious issues, including Kosovo's final status and matters related to missile defence, on which differences remain. While acknowledging the current challenges, ministers recognized the fact that recent political dialogue had been particularly active.
Ministers welcomed progress in key areas of practical cooperation under the NRC. The pilot project on counter-narcotics training for Afghan and Central Asian personnel has been extended into 2008. Earlier this year, Russia deployed a second ship in support of Operation Active Endeavour, NATO's maritime counter-terrorist operation in the Mediterranean Sea, and further deployments are expected in the coming years. Cooperation continues on theatre missile defence with a computer-assisted exercise due to take place in January 2008. And the Cooperative Airspace Initiative is moving towards an operational capability. Recognizing that NRC practical cooperation has not yet reached its full potential, ministers agreed to continue to seek possibilities for further cooperation in the NRC framework.
In a statement released earlier in the day after the meeting of the North Atlantic Council – NATO's principal decision-making body – Allied ministers acknowledged that "the NATO-Russia partnership has entered a challenging phase". They recalled that "the Russia partnership is based on a set of shared principles, values and commitments, including democracy, civil liberties and political pluralism," which they consider binding. However, Allied ministers also emphasized their commitment to the partnership and their view of the NRC as an essential forum for establishing common ground.
"We value and want to continue our constructive and frank dialogue with Russia, including on issues on which we disagree. We all stand to benefit from enhancing our cooperation on common security interests and issue of mutual concern."
