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DATE=2/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / NATO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259237
BYLINE=BILL GASPERINI
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  NATO Secretary-General George Robertson is 
praising the outcome of his one-day visit to Moscow 
(Wednesday), in which he and Russia's leaders agreed 
to resume normal relations.  The NATO chief (now back 
in Brussels) says the alliance has "turned a page" in 
its dealings with Moscow.  Bill Gasperini reports from 
the Russian capital.
TEXT:  Secretary-General Robertson said he was 
satisfied with the results of a long day of talks in 
Moscow with Russian leaders.  He praised the agreement 
reached with Russia to resume contacts and cooperation 
between the former Cold War adversaries.
Mr. Robertson says everyone agreed to put the bitter 
disagreement over last year's bombing of Yugoslavia 
behind them.
              /// ROBERTSON ACT ///
      We've now kick-started [re-started] the dialogue 
      and relationship with Russia, which I believe is 
      in everybody's interest.
                /// END ACT ///
The NATO chief spent most of the day (Wednesday) 
holding talks with Acting President Vladimir Putin as 
well as Russia's defense and foreign ministers.
Afterward, the two sides issued a joint statement 
agreeing to focus on such things as security concepts 
and arms control.
During his meeting with the NATO leader, Acting 
President Putin said Mr. Robertson's trip in itself 
was a sign that things are changing.
     /// PUTIN ACT IN RUSSIAN-IN AND FADE UNDER ///
He said to Mr. Robertson: "The very fact of your visit 
shows that NATO attaches importance to its 
relationship with Russia."
Mr. Robertson later told reporters it was Mr. Putin's 
decision to revive Moscow's relations with NATO, which 
were frozen last year when Russia reacted with anger 
to the alliance's intervention against Yugoslavia.
Despite the generally positive comments during the day 
of talks, differences clearly remain.
The NATO Secretary-General said he told his hosts the 
alliance supports the need to fight terrorism.
But it also opposes the brutal tactics the Russian 
military is using in Chechnya.
Both parties agreed on the need to focus on the bigger 
picture, saying the talks were the first step in that 
process.   (Signed)
NEB/BG/WTW
16-Feb-2000 17:49 PM EDT (16-Feb-2000 2249 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.