NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday that the alliance does not see Russia as an enemy, but a partner of strategic importance.

He made the remarks just one day before his visit to Moscow mainly for talks on Afghanistan and an anti-missile shield covering Europe.

"I look forward to my meetings tomorrow in Moscow. Time has come for a fresh start in NATO-Russia relations and I'm pleased President Medvedev accepted my invitation to the NATO Summit in Lisbon," Fogh Rasmussen said on his Facebook page.

"The clear message to the Russian people is that NATO does not see Russia as an enemy, but as a partner of strategic importance. Together we can make the world safer on the basis of trust, confidence and reciprocity," he concluded.

The NATO chief is expected to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday, ahead of NATO's summit on Nov. 19-20 in Lisbon, capital of Portugal. Medvedev has accepted the invitation to participate in a NATO-Russia Council summit on Nov. 20, right after NATO leaders meet.