Russia-NATO foreign and defence Ministers' meetings on Russia-NATO agenda

The Russia-NATO ambassadors met Tuesday in Moscow to discuss arrangements for the Russia-NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Madrid in June and defence ministers' session in Brussels.

According to NATO Secretary General George Robertson, the Alliance has made a lot of progress in advancing co-operation in many areas fixed in the Roman declaration. He said these areas include joint counteraction against threats, among them the terrorist threat and proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction.

In addition, an agreement has been reached on future interaction in the peace-keeping effort and in carrying out joint exercises. Robertson reported that a seminar on Russia-NATO peace-keeping efforts would be held in Berlin in autumn.

According to the secretary general, considerable progress has been achieved in assessing the threat of proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons. The plan of action has been co-ordinated at the level of experts in the nuclear sphere and in questions related to the CFE Treaty. An agreement has been reached on co-operation in research related to theatre missile defences.

According to Robertson, the Tuesday meeting yielded an agreement on the plan of action on expanding co-operation in training personnel for environmental protection.

Besides, the Russian and NATO ambassadors confirmed the fundamentals of financing the Council's activity.

Robertson reported the preparatory committee of the Council had been instructed to draft a report summing up the first year of its activities. This report is to be considered at the foreign ministers' meeting in Madrid.