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Russia warns NATO nations

Vladimir Radyuhin

Three areas of disagreement

MOSCOW: Russia said it would not “close eyes” and would “react” to Western moves that undermine its security.

Speaking at a meeting in Moscow of the Russia-NATO Council on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and the alliance should ensure each other’s security, and not “strengthen one’s own security at the expense of the other.

“I will be frank: we are not going to close our eyes to such steps, we will react,” said Mr. Lavrov.The Moscow meeting marked the fifth anniversary of the founding of the NATO-Russia Council, and the 10th year of partnership. He warned NATO against unilateral steps that would compromise Russia’s national security.

He named three main areas of disagreement with NATO: United States plans to deploy missile defences in Eastern Europe, which Russia views as a threat, the problem of the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, which NATO has failed to ratify, and the problem of Kosovo.

Russia is bitterly opposed to the West’s proposal to recognise Kosovo’s independence from Serbia despite the latter’s opposition.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer admitted that the alliance and Russia remained split on these issues, and urged Moscow to tone down its rhetoric against NATO and the U.S.

“We should continue discussions on subjects where we do not see eye-to-eye, be it Kosovo, be it missile defence, be it the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty,” he said.

Reuters reports:

Mr. Scheffer mounted a stout defence of Washington’s missile shield plan.

“You don’t have to be Einstein to understand that 10 interceptor rockets don’t pose any threat to Russia and the Russian people”.

He underlined the shield was aimed at shooting down missiles fired by “rogue” states such as North Korea and Iran and said Russia too faced a threat from them.

“We were enemies and we tried to destroy each other but that era has now finished,” Mr. Scheffer said.

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