CIS

Home page

CIS

NATO decides to review relations with Russia

19 August 2008 16:06 (UTC +04:00)

â€œWe call on Russia to take immediate action to withdraw its troops from the areas it is supposed to leave under the six-principle agreement signed by President Saakashvili and President Medvedev1. The Alliance is considering seriously the implications of Russiaâ€™s actions for the NATO-Russia relationshipâ€, said in the statement. â€œWe have also agreed today to support Georgia, upon its request, in a number of areas. In addition, we have agreed to task the North Atlantic Council in Permanent Session to develop with Georgia rapidly the modalities for a NATO-Georgia Commission. This Commission will supervise the process set in hand at Bucharest, including the measures of support agreed at todayâ€™s meeting. These measures are intended to assist Georgia, a valued and long-standing Partner of NATO, to assess the damage caused by the military action and to help restore critical services necessary for normal public life and economic activityâ€.
â€œGeorgia may become the NATO member and I am sure it will happen onceâ€, said NATOI Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the press conference after the meeting.
NATO member countries have not supported US proposal to stop security cooperation with Russia, British Sky News reported. British foreign minister David Miliband said Russia was one of the important players at the international arena and therefore it was necessary to continue relations with Russia within the existed format.