The Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen addressed the Russian people during his final press-conference in Moscow and said that NATO doesn't treat Russia as an enemy and has no plans against it.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen came in as chief of the alliance this August, when relations with Russia were very tense. Mr. Rasmussen arrived at Moscow to "reset" relations and propose cooperation. During his three-day talks with Russia's top officials he discussed mainly cooperation in Afghanistan. Rasmussen proposed that Russia should increase the number of its helicopters taking part in the campaign, to provide spare parts and fuel for the hardware and to train pilots. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, currently 21 Afghani anti-drug policemen are being trained in Russia and 220 policemen are expected to be trained by 2010.
Moscow will take its time to thoroughly consider all of Rasmussen's proposals and then will respond.
Russia and NATO should enter a new level of relations, believes the head of the European Security Department at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dmitry Danilov:
"There is no sense in returning to bilateral relations which did not satisfy Russia, as it is interested in a new quality of partnership with NATO. It may be increased cooperation in practical matters, which concern both parties. Both sides have already agreed to jointly assess threats and challenges to current security. President Medvedev proposed his draft treaty on European security which will stimulate global discussion, including in the Russia -NATO area. At the same time, by proposing this Treaty, Russia established constructive relations with the West".
The fact that the NATO Secretary General had a top reception in Russia, having met with Russian leaders and high-ranking officials, proves that Russia and NATO are ready for new relations despite previous controversies and different views on the Caucasian situation.
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