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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on Monday reiterated Moscow's unchanged opposition to NATO's planned enlargement, Russian news agencies reported.
Ivanov said in Russia's Far East city of Khabarovsk that NATO'senlargement would not raise the efficiency of the fight against international terrorism,
"The terrorist wave, which has covered many countries, makes itobvious that the system of international security coordinates is changing rapidly and radically," he said.
"I cannot imagine how the planned enlargement of NATO will enhance resistance to the real threats and challenges, first and foremost international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," Ivanov stressed.
"The process of enlargement of the NATO military organization does not make much sense to us," he said. But he added: "It is theright of every country to choose a bloc for itself."
As for Russia's participation in NATO's Prague summit scheduledfor November 22, Ivanov said Russia had never refused to attend the meeting, which is expected to focus on issues relating to the admission of new members into the 19-nation alliance.
(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2002)
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