7-8 Feb.
2008
The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) discussed on 8 February in an informal session bilateral defence and military cooperation, as well as a number of relevant political issues such as Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE), missile defence and NATO‘s open door policy, where Allies and Russia do not see eye to eye.
Allied Defence Ministers and the Russian first Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Kolmakov welcomed the NRC Work Programme for 2008 as a sign of shared political will to move the common agenda forward.
As an example of practical military to military cooperation, ministers mentioned the important joint NATO-Russia exercise related to Theatre Missile Defence conducted successfully last month in Germany.
They also reviewed other areas of cooperation in the fields of air space data sharing, logistics, civil emergency and a growing number of joint projects involving scientists from all 27 NRC countries dealing with explosives detection, transport security and eco-terrorism problems.
The NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also highlighted that preparations are underway for a third Russian navy deployment as part of the Alliance's counter-terrorism operation in the Mediterranean, Active Endeavour, later this year; as well as for a search and rescue at sea exercise to be held this summer off Norway.
Ministers reiterated their commitment to continue developing joint activities, especially the NRC Pilot Project on Counter-Narcotics training of Afghan and Central Asian Personnel, and the preparation of a framework agreement on air transport.
The meeting in Vilnius has shown once more that NRC nations continue to cultivate long-term practical cooperation while engaging in constructive dialogue on the political issues of the day.
