Russian Defence Minister On Strengthening Relations With NATO In Security Issues

In the middle of December the forthcoming NATO-Russian Joint Permanent Council meeting will take place in Brussels. At the meeting the improvement in the relationship between Russia and the alliance on matters concerning security will be discussed. The Minister of Defence Sergei Ivanov told journalists this on arrival in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikstan on Friday. He stressed the need for the growing relationship, particularly on the issue of security, because Russia, Ivanov said, "is self-sufficient state as regards its military capabilities". The minister stated that, "as a matter of fact, no one is expecting Russia to join the military alliance". According to him, "the Russian side understands this and has no ambitions to become part of NATO". Concerning security integration Sergei Ivanov said, "we are ready to cooperate with NATO on matters of fighting terrorism, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and investigating ways to settle different regional conflicts".