NATO's Secretary General: Russia, North Atlantic Alliance Urgently Need Military Reform

According to the statement George Robertson, NATO's Secretary General made during his meeting with Russia's entrepreneurs at the Federal Auditing Chamber, he believes that both our country and the members of the alliance urgently need to reform their armed forces. Mr. Robertson said, 'Russia needs a cost-effective army'.

Mr. Robertson is sure that the longer Russia delays a military reform, the more expensive it will be. He said that, 'The member countries of NATO have accumulated lots of useful experience, which they are prepared to share.' He said that Russia would gain from a military reform - in many ways, including when dealing with NATO members financially. He continued to say that, 'There will be a progress in trade and investments and in the development of medium and small business.' The North Atlantic Alliance, he added, also needs to reduce its armed forces, which are 'too large, expensive, and provide no security we are paying for.'