Vice-speaker Of Russian Parliament Welcomes Development Of Dialogue On Russia-NATO Relations

Lyubov Sliska, the first vice-speaker of the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) and head of the Russian parliamentary delegation in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, has welcomed the development of dialogue on the issue of Russia-NATO relations during the visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the USA. "The dialogue on the issue of our relations with NATO has been given a new impetus in Washington," the first vice-speaker told the press on Wednesday. According to her, "Vladimir Putin's statement to the effect that Russia is ready to go as far as the North Atlantic Alliance would be ready to go, taking into account Russia's national interests, constitutes a brand new platform of relations." Sliska believes "George Bush's statements on the need for a closer cooperation between Russia and NATO" go in the same vein.