NATO Secretary General Says There Can Be No Lasting Peace Without Russia

In present-day conditions, there cannot be lasting peace without Russia, NATO Secretary General George Robertson said on Thursday during his negotiations with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov. Robertson said that he began his current trip to Russia with a visit to Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), a city which is sacred to all Russians and which became a symbol of the joint struggle by the Soviet Union and Western countries against their common enemy. Now Russia and the West must again side against a new common enemy, he said. The Secretary General noted that NATO has turned into an organisation which must pay more attention to universal security. He emphasised that NATO cannot resolve international security issues without Russia, which he described as an indispensable partner in these efforts. Robertson expressed hope that the two sides will establish positive relations, draw up a working programme, especially on the counter-terrorism struggle, and build long-term relations that will help establish a positive and durable security system in the world.