Rome Declaration on Russia-NATO Cooperation on the Whole Being Met

Provisions of the Rome declaration on Russia-NATO cooperation are fulfilled on the whole.

"A year after the signing of the Rome declaration it can be stated that, despite hardships of reaching joint positions on certain international policy questions, the central clauses of this important document are on the whole being met," said Alexander Yakovenko, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In his view, "the new mechanism of Russia-NATO cooperation yields practical fruit in the security sphere." He also noted that "an intensive dialogue on matters of antiterrorist fight, settlement of crises, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction" is under way.

"By a joint effort we have launched promising programs of cooperation in the field of theater anti-missile defense, search and rescue at sea, emergency civilian planning, air traffic coordination," said Yakovenko.

He recalled that weighty documents in the field of peacemaking, the struggle against terrorism, border security in the Balkans have been adopted on the basis of common approaches. Russia has held civilian defense drills in eliminating the effects of acts of terrorism at chemical plants. Military cooperation is also moving on.

Yakovenko also said that the required legal base for relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is being laid. Thus, agreement has been reached with NATO units in specific areas of joint activities, such as rescuing the crews of submarines in case of accidents, cataloguing of armaments. "It can be said with confidence that the Twenty is step by step becoming an efficient tool of cooperation and practical interaction," said the Russian diplomat.