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Minister Kohout considers the result of military cooperation renewal between Russia and NATO as “necessary and breaking through”

 

Corfu (27 June 2009) – Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kohout immediately after the conclusion of talks NRC (NATO – Russia Council) at the Greek island of Corfu qualified the agreement on the renewal of mutual military cooperation between NATO and Russia as a “move in the right direction”.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation suspended its military cooperation with the Russian Federation almost a year ago in a reaction to the Russian invasion of Georgia (August 2008). "The achievement of today's decision on military cooperation renewal was very complicated because the Russian Federation was refusing to withdraw from its positions for a very long time. Therefore I consider today's agreement as not only necessary, but also as breaking through," said Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jan Kohout immediately after the NRC negotiations at the Greek island of Corfu.

"The outcome of the NRC meeting is a proof that it is possible to renew a pragmatic cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as in the stabilisation and reconstruction of Afghanistan," added Jan Kohout. However, today's agreement doesn't change a thing in the opinion of the Aliance that last year's Russian invasion of Georgia is unacceptable from the international point of view and equally, it doesn't mean acceptation of unruly declaration of autonomy in South Ossetia and Northern Abkhazia.

The President of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Government Jan Kohout continues in his negotiations on the Greek island of Corfu in the framework of informal meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of countries gathered in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The future of the European security and the discussion on the proposal of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on comprehensive transformation of the European security system are some of the main topics of the meeting.

 

Corfu informal meeting of OSCE foreign ministers

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