#10
RUSSIA WANTS NATO GUARANTEES NO ALLIED FORCE WILL BE SENT INTO THE BALTICS

MOSCOW, MAY 8 (RIA Novosti's Yuri Nikolayev) - Russia wants NATO to recognize as illegal the use of military force beyond the member states' defense limits. According to Alexander Yakovenko, official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, such a decision on the part of NATO would make international relations more predictable and stable.

Yakovenko reaffirmed Russia's negative attitude to NATO expansion, describing the policy as inadequate to the alliance's actual security needs. He once again called the NATO leadership's attention to the military repercussions of the enlargement.

Russia wants NATO to provide guarantees that no Allied force will be deployed in the Baltic states as they join the trans-Atlantic bloc, Yakovenko pointed out. The Russian government hails NATO's political statements on its adherence to the principles of military restraint, but expects the alliance to take practical steps proving it, such as the ratification of the adapted Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, the cornerstone of European security, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Officials in Moscow hope for a still deeper political dialogue between Russia and NATO, Yakovenko emphasized.

BACK TO THE TOP    #256 CONTENTS    NEXT ARTICLE