Military

DATE=4/8/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=RUSSIA / NATO (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-314884

BYLINE=PETER THACKREY

DATELINE=MOSCOW

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INTRO: NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is calling for closer cooperation with Russia on global problems, such as the fight against terrorism. He has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is skeptical of NATO's recent expansion eastward, to the Russian border. Peter Thackrey reports from Moscow.

TEXT: This was Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's first official visit to Moscow in his capacity as NATO secretary general.

He said his mission was to convince Russia's leaders that the Western alliance poses no threat to the security of Russia.

In comments broadcast on Russian state television, President Putin warned the NATO chief that the alliance's expansion has not helped combat today's security challenges.

/// 1st PUTIN ACTUALITY IN RUSSIAN; EST AND FADE ///

Mr. Putin says the enlargement did not prevent terrorist attacks in Madrid, and it has not helped us solve the problems in Afghanistan.

He underlined that Russia sees some good in NATO's expansion.

/// 2nd PUTIN ACTUALITY IN RUSSIAN- EST AND FADE ///

Mr. Putin says he hopes the expansion will contribute to building confidence in Europe and around the world, and that it will be an instrument to strengthen international security.

The NATO secretary general sought to reassure Russians that the enlargement poses no threat to Russia.

/// SECRETARY-GENERAL ACTUALITY ///

The enlarged NATO does not have any motive or plan, which would run counter to the interests of Russia. The new NATO nations do not have any intention of building military infrastructure or stationing more troops on their soil.

/// ACTUALITY ENDS ///

But Mr. De Hoop Scheffer faces an uphill struggle in persuading Russians that NATO is a friend. In a radio poll conducted during a live interview with the secretary general, more than 70-percent of listeners said they regard NATO's expansion as a threat.

Last week, Russian lawmakers passed a resolution, allowing them to reconsider Russia's defense strategy, if NATO ignores Moscow's interests.

Victor Kremeniuk, from the U-S-A-Canada Institute in Moscow, says the Russian leadership is divided on the issue.

/// VICTOR ACT ///

The Russian elite consists of different people. Part of them are coming directly from the Soviet past, who still sometimes do not suspect that the Cold War is over. Equally, there are a lot of newcomers, who have come to the higher echelons of politics. I would not say that any of these groups outweigh the other, because we have one central figure, the president, and if he says NATO is good, then NATO is good.

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(SIGNED)

NEB/PT/MAR/RAE/TW