ISTANBUL (CIHAN) - NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer said on Monday that NATO and Russia had agreed to cooperate in certain areas but failed to reach agreements in other areas.
The Alliance Secretary General told a press conference following the NATO-Russian Council (NRC) meeting that NATO's relationship with Russia was a top priority of the alliance. He said that relations between NATO and the Russian Federation were satisfactory since the formation of the NRC at the Rome Summit two years ago.
The NATO Russia Council took up security, measures against the expansion of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and issues concerning Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans. NRC representatives discussed practical cooperation between the alliance and Russia.
The council voiced full support for an independent, sovereign and united Iraq.
Scheffer said that the improvement of the relations between NATO-Russia was impressive. The Secretary General said that the support of the Russian Federation for the Operation Active Endaavour is the best example of cooperation between Russia and NATO.
The NATO Secretary General said that the Russian Federation has certain concerns about the enlargement of NATO. Scheffer also asked the Russian Federation to fulfill its commitment to withdraw its troops from Georgia and Moldova.
NATO has extended its influence into Eastern Europe by accepting Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia as new members.
Yesterday the final declaration of the NATO summit also gave a green light to NATO membership hopefuls Macedonia, Croatia and Albania. The alliance encouraged the three countries to adopt reforms.