MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator...
General Makarov"s visit is a logical continuation of resumed Russia-NATO relations. Russian and NATO Foreign Ministers have already met on Corfu Island, Greece. Moreover, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has paid a visit to Moscow.
Makarov and di Paola approved a framework agreement on Russia-NATO military cooperation. At their upcoming meeting, scheduled for May 6, 2010, the chiefs of general staffs plan to approve this document and a detailed program of bilateral cooperation.
What format can this cooperation have, and how will it benefit both sides? Russia and NATO have many common interests, including counter-terrorist operations, control over the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against illicit drug trafficking, promoting navigation safety, etc.
At the same time, Moscow and Brussels remain divided on some issues. Such disagreements primarily concern NATO"s eastward expansion and the overall European security system.