Russia, NATO to resume informal talks before Christmas - envoy
15/12/2008 15:43 BRUSSELS, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's NATO envoy confirmed on Monday that he would hold informal talks with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer before Christmas.
NATO foreign ministers agreed on December 2 at a meeting in Brussels to gradually resume contacts with Moscow, suspended after Russia's armed conflict with Georgia in August.
"I can confirm that the meeting will be held before Catholic Christmas," Dmitry Rogozin told RIA Novosti.
The Russian mission to the alliance earlier said the meeting could take place as early as December 18.
NATO called Russia's military response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia "disproportionate" and condemned Moscow's decision in late August to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway province, as independent states.
In response to NATO's decision to halt cooperation, Russia froze a number of programs, including the Partnership for Peace program, halted cooperation with NATO's Moscow office and called off the NATO chief's visit to Moscow. Russia also canceled all joint-NATO naval training, including NATO visits to Russian ports.
Russia did not halt work with NATO in regard to arms control, cooperation in airspace, and the war in Afghanistan.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
