Military

DATE=04/10/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=GERMANY / RUSSIA / NATO (L-O)

NUMBER=2-288548

BYLINE=JONATHON BRAUDE

DATELINE=BERLIN

INTERNET=

CONTENT=

INTRO: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder Wednesday backed Russia's request for a role in NATO decision-making. Jonathan Braude reports the call came direct from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

TEXT: Speaking after talks with the German chancellor in Weimar, President

Putin said he proposed setting up a new forum alongside NATO and the existing

consultation committee where Russia would have an equal say in decisions with

the Western Alliance.

He told a joint press conference that the establishment of such a committee

would improve Russia's relationship with the 19 NATO nations.

At present, Mr. Putin said through an interpreter, there is a process in which

the NATO countries formulate a policy among themselves and then present it to

the Russians for discussion in a joint meeting.

What Russia is proposing is to establish a new body in which all 20 nations

discuss and decide together important questions of common and international

interest.

President Putin said the new body would make decisions based on an equal

status for its members and Russia would have an equal voice.

He said he would not expect he would have a veto over fundamental decisions regarding

co-operation between NATO nations. He would not, for instance, demand the

right to take part in questions regarding Article five of the Nato Treaty --

that is the clause which says that an attack on one member is an attack on

them all.

But the Russian President said he would want a say in matters regarding the

fight against terrorism, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons

of mass-destruction.

He would also want to discuss humanitarian actions and perhaps other matters

that he said, events have shown, cannot be solved without Russian

participation.

The statement which fleshed out a request Mr. Putin made in a speech to the

German parliament last year, brought an immediate and cautiously positive

response from Chancellor Schroeder.

Mr. Putin's wish for a qualitative improvement in relations, he said, was

understandable and appropriate. Mr. Schroeder said he was sure that NATO

nation's reactions will be generally positive and he felt sure that the

discussions on further enlargement of NATO will also be influenced in a positive way.

Mr. Schroeder was careful, however, to say nothing about how NATO would accept

the details of the Russian plan.

A spokesman at the U-S Embassy in Berlin reacted with surprise -- and said he

was unable to comment at this stage.

Jonathan Braude for VOA News Berlin.

NEB/JB/RH