NATO foreign ministers agreed on Thursday to resume formal political contacts with Russia after they were frozen for seven months, said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
"Ministers reached agreement to formally resume the NATO-Russia Council, including at ministerial level, as soon as possible after the (NATO) summit in Strasbourg and Kehl (on April 3)," de Hoop Scheffer told reporters.
Technically, the foreign ministers' decision means that ambassadorial-level formal meetings of the NATO-Russia Council, a mechanism for political dialogue, can resume immediately.
NATO foreign ministers suspended the council in August 2008 shortly after the military conflict between Russia and Georgia. But the council met informally once this year after NATO countries agreed in December 2008 to gradually re-engage Russia informally.
De Hoop Scheffer said Thursday that the resumption of formal contacts with Russia does not mean that NATO has changed its position on Russia's behavior, particularly in Georgia.
"If we resume the NATO-Russia Council ... we will urge Russia to meet fully its commitments with respect to Georgia," he said. NATO will also ask Russia to withdraw from areas, where Moscow has committed to leave, he added.
The NATO chief said the alliance is still opposed to Russia's recognition of Georgia's two breakaway regions -- Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- as independent states, and Moscow's intention to build military bases in these territories.
But he stressed that the two sides should discuss these issues, even when they fundamentally disagree. "The NATO-Russia Council is certainly not a fair-weather body and the weather is not fair for the moment."
He said NATO and Russia need cooperation in Afghanistan, the fight against terrorism and the prevention of the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
"Russia is an important player; Russia is a global player. Not talking to them is not an option," said de Hoop Scheffer.
NATO foreign ministers also discussed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's proposals on a European security architecture.
De Hoop Scheffer said both NATO allies and Russia have willingness to discuss this issue within the framework of the NATO- Russia Council although the primary forum is the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
However, NATO needs more details of Medvedev's proposals, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2009)