New Character Of Russia-NATO Relations Testifies To Irreversible Changes In The World

A new character of cooperation between Russia and NATO on equal terms will testify to the irreversibility of the changes in the world. This opinion was expressed by official spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yakovenko in an interview with RIA Novosti on the eve of the visit to Russia by NATO Secretary General George Robertson. According to Alexander Yakovenko, "today is really a turning point in international relations." "Both Russia and NATO are interested in seeking replies to new global threats and challenges in settling crisis situations, in the Balkans in particular," pointed out Alexander Yakovenko. Moscow believes that Russia and the NATO countries are equally interested in the potential of cooperation between Russia and the Alliance to open fully so that Russia-NATO relations enter the level of strategic cooperation in ensuring a single European-Atlantic security space. "Today it is necessary to concentrate on creating new mechanisms of cooperation that would ensure Russia's equal participation in taking decisions and their further implementation," said the official spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Only with such an approach will it be possible to speak about shared responsibility for jointly taken decisions. That is, from our point of view, which must determine a new quality of Russian-NATO cooperation," said Alexander Yakovenko. According to him, Moscow attaches great importance to the coming meetings of the Russia-NATO Joint Permanent Council at the level of Foreign and Defence Ministers in December.