Informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, at the level of Foreign Ministers

April 28, 2006

Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Foreign Ministerial Session

Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon, d obriy dyen', bonjour. And welcome to this informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council.

In the past four years, the NRC has come a long way in fulfilling its promise as a forum for developing common responses to security challenges that face Russia and the member states of NATO alike.

We have made significant strides in enhancing interoperability among our military forces, our civil emergency response teams and our theatre missile defence systems. We have launched a far-reaching programme of cooperation against the terrorist threat, which includes such concrete initiatives as Russia's military support to the Alliance's anti-terrorist naval patrols in the framework of Operation Active Endeavour.

We also have developed groundbreaking new programmes of practical cooperation, in airspace management and, more recently, in addressing the multiple threats posed by the illegal narcotics trade in Afghanistan and Central Asia. With regard to the NRC Pilot Project for Counter-Narcotics Training, I am pleased to inform you that all six countries eligible to receive NATO-Russia training have informed me of their full support for this programme.

I believe this as a concrete example of the benefits of NATO-Russia cooperation, not just for the states represented here, but for all in the Euro-Atlantic area.

For all we have achieved together, however, I believe that we can and should do better. We should look increasingly to this Council, not just as an umbrella for practical cooperation, but as a forum for frank and open exchanges of views and perspectives, on issues where we agree, and on those where the search for common ground continues.

We have made some progress in this area, but we must intensify this effort.

Les pays représentés autour de cette table ont bien des choses en commun. Nous partageons un même intérêt pour ce qui est de promouvoir la paix et la sécurité en Afghanistan et alentour et d'assurer que les négociations en cours sur le statut final du Kosovo fassent progresser la cause de la stabilité dans les Balkans et dans l'Europe tout entière.

Nous partageons un même intérêt pour ce qui est de régler les « conflits gelés » qui subsistent dans l'ex-Union soviétique et de faire face efficacement aux nombreux défis de sécurité qui trouvent leur origine au Moyen-Orient, s'agissant en particulier d'encourager le développement d'un Iraq démocratique et autonome. Enfin, nous partageons un même intérêt pour ce qui est de contribuer à l'amélioration de la situation dramatique du Darfour. Au travers de ses missions et de ses partenariats, l'OTAN est engagée dans chacune de ces régions.

Il en va de même pour la Russie, par l'intermédiaire du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies, du G-8, du Groupe de contact et d'autres institutions. Nous devons utiliser cette enceinte de manière plus efficace pour examiner toutes les questions affectant notre sécurité commune.

Informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, at the level of Foreign Ministers

Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Informal meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Foreign Ministerial Session

NATO-Russia Council Information Center

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