NATO Secretary General: NATO, Russia to work out joint measures to combat terrorism

NATO and Russia see the danger of such threats as terrorism and are working out joint measures to combat them, NATO Secretary General George Robertson said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Tuesday evening.

"The world deeply sympathizes with Russia that became a victim of recent terrorist attacks, such as hostage taking in a theatre /October 2002/ and a terrorist act during a rock concert /July 2003/," Robertson said. "They caused a wave of sympathy in many NATO member states." The Secretary General believes that these tragic events once again testified to "the need to find ways of fighting against unconventional challenges we are now facing." According to Robertson, "relations between Russia and NATO are now experiencing an unprecedented surge." At the same time they are "void of sickly sentimentality and go far beyond the anti-terrorist fight," he believes.

"Our interaction has an organizational basis that allows us not only to make decisions, but also to fulfill them," Robertson pointed out. "We have to counteract a number of terrible challenges and this is only possible with joint efforts," he concluded.