Russia to take into consideration interests of CST member countries while building relations with NATO and EU

Russia is intending to take into consideration the interests of its partners, party to the Collective Security treaty while building a new kind of relations with NATO. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said this while opening on Monday the Moscow session of the Council of Collective Security Treaty states' Foreign and Defense Ministers (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia). Ivanov stressed that the forthcoming Russia-NATO summit to be held in Rome on May 28th, will be an important step while forming a new framework of cooperation between Moscow and the Alliance at the format of "20". At the same time he said that the cooperation should not be limited to consultations. Such cooperation must stipulate joint working out, adopting and implementing the decisions. Ivanov stressed that Russia thinks it necessary to build the cooperation that will be legally based on the important international documents, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Act and a number of other documents. Igor Ivanov pointed to the importance of the upcoming Russia-EU summit to be held on May 29th. According to the Minister, Moscow is hoping to enhance the political and economic cooperation with the EU, including the defense and security spheres. Igor Ivanov stressed that Russia is playing an active role in the construction of a new structure of the international security. At the same time, according to him, Moscow takes into consideration the interests of its CST partners. He thinks that the Collective Security Treaty is aiming at protecting the interests of its member countries. And it is to be an important link between Europe and Asia. Igor Ivanov pointed to the necessity to put the Treaty at a practical level and to raise the issue of giving the Treaty the status of an international regional organization.