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Conference on NATO-Russia cooperation in East

The NATO-Russia relation, Romania's prospects in NATO, what Romania expects from NATO and the new NATO strategic concept were the main subjects dealt with during a conference organized by the Foreign Policy at the National Military Club on Thursday.

Secretary of State with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) Bogdan Aurescu, chairman of the commission on defence, public order and national security of Romania's Senate Teodor Melescanu, but also guests from Norway and England attended the international conference titled 'NATO-Russia Cooperation in the East. Afghanistan as a New Prerequisite.'

In the speech he delivered Secretary of State with MAE Bogdan Aurescu spoke of the new concept of the North Atlantic Alliance, to which Romania belongs too, and said it could be valid for ten ears at least. He maintained that the new strategic concept would be a different one as NATO had enlarged.

'NATO must stay rooted in a Euro-Atlantic alliance. Within the current security framework NATO can do much but not by itself. The new strategic concept is no document written from scratch. It is continuously subject to adjustment. Romania thinks that this balance concept must be observed,' said the MAE representative.

In his opinion, the Western Balkans and the Black Sea are regions NATO should consider to find out how it should play a more important part.Bogdan Aurescu also said that partnerships must be adopted and adjusted depending on the interests of every partner.

Referring to the NATO-Russia relation, Aurescu thinks it is a more extensive question, but says that there are many joint documents stipulating the cooperation between the two sides.'For us Russia is no longer the enemy, it is our partner. This is a right approach,' said the diplomat. As for the talks to be held within NATO, Aurescu believes that they do not rule out other talks within other bodies.

Chairman of the Senate's defence commission Teodor Melescanu explained that Russia and NATO had a clear relation from a legal point of view and that there was a NATO-Russia council, which was not able to do its job in the Georgian crisis, neither in the issue of the anti-missile shield.

'We are trying to leave behind the geopolitical and geostrategic clichés. NATO and Russia must give up the idea of games with zero sums. NATO had a clear policy referring to the open door policy,' said Melescanu.But he made it clear that the open door policy was not enough and that this concept must be completed by NATO for the countries that want to join this organization.

Melescanu also said that Russia was welcome in many security fields and in Europe and added that NATO made the mistake of not considering 'Russia's sensitive spots.'In Melescanu's opinion, experts that should suggest 'a more refined approach' to the cooperation between NATO and Russia are needed.Referring to the anti-missile shield, Teodor Melescanu said that the next step might consist in inviting Russia to be part of the anti-missile shield, Agerpres reports.

Sursa: http://www.actmedia.eu

Tags: russia melescanu aurescu concept conference cooperation euro