On his first day at work as NATO chief, new NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday outlined his priorities, vowing to build a "true strategic partnership" with Russia, to reaffirm commitments to Afghanistan, reduce NATO-led troops in Kosovo and to work on NATO's new strategic concept.
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, new NATO secretary general, arrives on his first day working at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, on Aug. 3, 2009. Rasmussen took up his duties on Monday although his tenure officially started on Saturday. [Xinhua]
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"I believe that during my term as NATO secretary general, we should develop a true strategic partnership with Russia. We should extend practical cooperation in areas where we share security interests," Rasmussen told reporters.
He said NATO and Russia can work together on terrorism, Afghanistan, piracy and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Rasmussen said differences between NATO and Russia should not poison the whole relationship.
"I am not a dreamer. It is obvious that there will be fundamental issues on which we disagree... But we cannot let those areas of disagreement poison the whole relationship," said the new NATO chief.
"My message to the Russian leadership and people is clear: let us build trust on cooperation and base our cooperation on shared interests," said Rasmussen, who replaced Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as NATO chief.
"NATO is really not an enemy of Russia, NATO is not directed against Russia," said Rasmussen.
On Afghanistan, Rasmussen said the international community must prevent the Asian country from being again "the grand central station of international terrorism."
"It will not be easy and the past month has made that bitterly clear. But it can be done and we will do it. Let there be no doubt about that," he said.
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NATO Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero (R) welcomes new NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen for Rasmussen's first day working at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, on Aug. 3, 2009. Rasmussen took up his duties on Monday although his tenure officially started on Saturday.[Xinhua]
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NATO's immediate goal is to make the Aug. 20 presidential and provincial council elections credible, first and foremost in the eyes of the Afghan population, he added.
The long-term goal for NATO, he said, is to help the Afghans take over lead security responsibility.
"During my term as NATO secretary general, Afghans must take over lead responsibility for security in most of their country... NATO must and will be there in support," he said.
But he quickly added that the transfer of lead responsibility does not mean premature NATO departure, saying "Let no Taliban propagandist try to sell my message as a run for the exit. It is not. We will support the Afghan people for as long as it takes."
