Russia, NATO officials to discuss military cooperation
A NATO delegation will visit Russia on July
NATO officials, led by Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Adm. Giampaolo di Paola, will meet with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Gen. Nikolai Makarov and other senior military officials.
«The sides are planning to review the preliminary results of Russia-NATO cooperation in 2010 and discuss the prospects of future interaction in various areas,» the ministry said in a statement.
«The discussions will focus on the fight against sea piracy, logistics, and the situation in Afghanistan,» the statement said.
NATO froze ties with Russia following the August 2008 armed conflict with Georgia and the recognition by Moscow of Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
However, Russia-NATO relations have improved over the last year as a result of a course towards «resetting» thorny relations between Moscow and Washington taken by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama.
In late January, the Russian and NATO chiefs of staff met in Brussels for the first time since their relations became warmer. As a result of the talks, a framework military cooperation treaty was approved, which is seen as an important step toward the restoration of military ties between Russia and the alliance.
Russia has allowed land transits of non-lethal NATO supplies to Afghanistan and promised more assistance in the bloc’s operations in the war-torn country by expanding transits, supplying helicopters and training Afghan security forces.
Russia has been actively participating in international efforts to fight piracy along the Somali coast since October 2008.
