RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets NATO chief in the Kremlin, as Moscow says differences remain with the alliance on the U.S. missile shield plan and Kosovo's independence

Record ID: 497276

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets NATO chief in the Kremlin, as Moscow says differences remain with the alliance on the U.S. missile shield plan and Kosovo's independence
  • Date: 26th June 2007
  • Summary: (BN09) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 26, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NATO AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS AT MEETING OFFICIALS FROM NEW NATO MEMBERS SLOVAKIA AND SLOVENIA LAVROV AND DE HOOP SCHEFFER AT JOINT NEWS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV SAYING: "Discussions continue concerning issues where Russia and NATO positions remain different. These includ
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2007 13:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVA3UEPXWLVIDDL6SRKZ5W90YM59
  • Story Text: Russian president meets NATO chief in the Kremlin, as Moscow says differences remain with the alliance on the U.S. missile shield plan and Kosovo's independence. Russian President Vladimir Putin met NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the Kremlin on Tuesday (June 26), with Moscow and the West's top defence body saying they remained split over U.S. plans for missile defence and Kosovo independence.
    De Hoop Scheffer stressed the importance of continuing talks and securing good relations between Russia and NATO.
    "I strongly believe that there is no alternative to a good and healthy Russia-NATO relationship because NATO cannot do without its important partner Russia and I think I can say that Russia cannot do without NATO," De Hoop Scheffer said.
    Earlier, speaking at a joint news conference with de Hoop Scheffer, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters that "hard work" lay ahead in Moscow talks over U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in Europe and the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty.
    "Discussions continue concerning issues where Russia and NATO positions remain different. These include the anti-missile defence shield, Conventional Forces in Europe, and the issue of Kosovo. We view the NRC as a valuable forum to discuss all these questions, depsite our differing points of view, and I hope we can better understand each other," said Lavrov.
    Russia's ties with the United States and the European Union have chilled amid a barrage of rhetoric over issues such as missile defence, Kosovo and accusations Russia uses its giant energy resources to bring neighbours to heel.
    NATO is still viewed with great suspicion in Russia, where officials say expansion westwards shows that the alliance is being used by the United States and top European powers to counter Russian influence.
    The U.S. says the shield, parts of which will be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic, will defend against missiles launched from "rogue states" such as Iran or North Korea.
    Russia says the defence shield damages Russian security and is really aimed at Russian defence capabilities.
    Putin said in April that Russia was suspending its obligations under the CFE treaty in a move he linked to U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in Europe.
    Russian officials warn of a confrontation over Kosovo as Western powers push for independence, which Russia has opposed.
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