- Title: UNITED NATIONS: NATO AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET
- Date: 26th September 1997
- Summary: UNITED NATIONS (SEPTEMBER 26,1997) (RTV) 1. LV EXTERIOR UNITED NATIONS BUILDING 0.07 2. MV BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK WALKS IN, SAYS: I'LL BE MEETING SAUDI DELEGATES THIS AFTERNOON. (ENGLISH) 0.23 3. SLV U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT ENTERS 0.33 4. HAS NATO MEETING 0.40 5. SCU/H
- Embargoed: 11th October 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: UNITED NATIONS
- Reuters ID: LVAD6V8TIGI03TUA9I4GLA6NZLQQ
- Story Text: - INTRO: NATO and Russian foreign ministers have met at the United Nations for the first time at a new permanent joint council to approve an action plan that will test their pledge of post-Cold War cooperation.
The new experiment arose out of the western alliance's desire to allay Moscow's fears about NATO's decision to expand eastward into former Soviet territory.
United States officials said on Friday (Sept 26) the 16-member alliance and Moscow would endorse a broad agenda aimed at building confidence in the short term between former enemies and laying the groundwork for more ambitious projects in the years ahead.
Among other things, the action plan states the alliance will invite Russian military representatives to be based at NATO and the two parties will consult on matters like Bosnia -- a current source of friction -- peacekeeping, international terrorism, military strategy and nuclear doctrine.
The council, created in May as part of a new NATO-Russia security agreement, is intended to let Russia have more of a say in NATO's affairs without giving Moscow veto rights.
NATO officials say they want to rapidly develop contacts with Russia's armed forces, which have been limited by military leadership changes in Moscow as well as traditional mistrust.
At a news conferences after the meeting, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana, Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov and U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright all declared the first meeting a success.
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