Paet: NATO-Russia Relations Depend on Existence of Trust and Fulfilment of Obligations
04.12.2009
At the meeting of the NATO and Russian foreign ministers in
Brussels, the ministers decided that the priority areas of NATO-Russia
practical co-operation are Afghanistan, fighting the narcotics trade,
the battle against terrorism, combating piracy, missile defence, and
arms control and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The foreign ministers approved the appropriate documents and action
plan. In addition, the NATO-Russia Council decided to compile a joint
overview of the security challenges standing before NATO and Russia in
the 21st century.
Foreign Minister Paet stated that NATO-Russia relations depend on
the existence of trust and the fulfilment of accepted obligations.
“Increasing mutual trust is important for transparency and making
decisions, as well as for organising military trainings. Reciprocal
misinterpretations and possible tensions only serve to prevent
transparent relations between NATO and Russia,” he added.
Paet stated that NATO emphasised Georgia’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity and called upon Russia to retract its decision to
recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The NATO
foreign ministers also called on the parties to the Geneva negotiations
to be constructive and to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict
through co-operation with the UN, EU and OSCE.
