09 April 2001 NATO, Russian Parliamentarians Meet in Moscow Sixty members of NATO's Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) visited Moscow and met with members of the Russian Federal Parliament April 6, where they engaged in "facilitated lively exchanges... over several key security issues," including NATO enlargement, European security, the 1999 NATO-led air campaign in Yugoslavia, and Chechnya, according to a NATO press release. Despite "substantial disagreement" on those issues, the parliamentarians -- who had not met in three years because of Russian objections to NATO's air campaign -- identified areas of common interest and potential cooperation, such as defense reform, missile defense, and the fight against international terrorism and drug-trafficking. Following is the text of the release: NATO Press Release NATO-PA and Russian Federal Parliament Intensify Parliamentary Cooperation Brussels 09 April 2001 Meeting together in Moscow Friday 6 April for the first time for three years, members of the NATO PA and the Russian Federal Parliament signalled their determination to intensify NATO-Russian parliamentary cooperation through a programme of enhanced dialogue and practical interaction. Chairmen of the Assembly's Political and Defence and Security Committees, Mr. Peter Viggers (UK), and Mr. Jan Hoekema (Netherlands) accepted the invitation by the leaders of the Duma and Federation Council's delegations to the NATO PA, Mrs. Lubov Sliska and Mr. Victor Ozerov, to make the visit to Moscow by the Assembly's Committees -- comprising on this occasion 60 parliamentarians -- a regular event, and to extend its effectiveness by organising focussed meetings between the Assembly's committees and their Russian counterparts. The one-day meeting in the Duma involved briefings from Russian Foreign and Defence Ministry officials and facilitated lively exchanges between Russian and NATO parliamentarians over several key security issues, particularly NATO enlargement, NATO's role in European security, the use of force against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the situation in Chechnya. Substantial disagreement remained on these key issues, yet these differences were paralleled by the identification of areas of common interest, including defence reform, missile defence, international terrorism and drug-trafficking, where practical cooperation and sharing of experience would be mutually beneficial. It was agreed that these issues would be taken up during the planned Committee sessions. Remarking on the frankness of the exchanges, a Russian official also noted the marked improvement in mutual understanding -- a hopeful sign for the future. All agreed that dialogue at the legislative level was an indispensable component of improved relations between NATO and Russia. Background: The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, founded in 1955 with a Brussels-based secretariat, brings together 214 national parliamentarians from the 19 NATO countries. Associate delegations from 17 nations also participate in most Assembly activities and meetings. Further information: Susan Millar Tel: (+ 32 2) 504 8155 Place du Petit Sablon 3, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique Tel: (+32 2) 513 2865 Fax: (+32 2) 514 18 47 e-mail: [email protected] Return to the Washington File