PRESS CONFERENCE BY NATO-RUSSIA PERMANENT JOINT COUNCIL

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY NATO-RUSSIA PERMANENT JOINT COUNCIL

At a Headquarters press conference this morning, the three Joint Chairmen of the First Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-Russian Federation Permanent Joint Council, said they were pleased with the outcome of their meeting, which took place earlier this morning at United Nations Headquarters. The Chairmen are NATO Secretary- General Javier Solana, Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, and Belgian Foreign Minister Erik Derycke. Mr. Solana said the meeting had been a great success and that there had been cohesion on the three subjects they discussed, which were a working plan for further meetings, the situation in Bosnia, and peacekeeping operations. The Permanent Joint Council was worth all the effort it had taken to set it up. The meeting had been conducted in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. There would be another ministerial-level meeting on 17 December. Mr. Primakov said he shared Mr. Solana's satisfaction. The meeting had been conducted without empty rhetoric, and there had been a practical exchange of views on very important issues. The success of future meetings at the ministerial level, particularly the meeting in December, would depend on whether the Council continued to be based on the principles contained in its Founding Act, which represented an important milestone for the entire world. The principles of the Act were increased trust between all sides, full implementation of all prior agreements, equality between parties and respect for mutual interests. It also entailed an understanding that without the joint efforts of Russia and NATO, stable and strong peace in Europe would be impossible. While each side could maintain its own ideas -- for example, about the issue of NATO enlargement -- they should do everything possible to ensure that there would be no slide back towards the cold war, Mr. Primakov said. In that spirit, the participants had agreed on a number of practical issues, including establishment of a working group to prepare proposals on joint participation in peacekeeping operations. That group should present its recommendations to the Council's next ministerial meeting. Mr. Derycke said his role had been to deal with the Permanent Council's work programme, which was extremely important for cooperation in the future. Its three main points were: consultation between Russia and NATO on such questions as Bosnia, Albania and military strategy; practical cooperation, particularly with regard to peacekeeping; and the implementation of structures mentioned in the Founding Act. There had been considerable consensus on the work programme. Mr. Derycke also said the participants had agreed that their cooperation should be practical in character. They had all recognized that there should be adequate consultation mechanisms, and that rapid implementation of the machinery provided for in the Founding Act was vital for cooperation in the military and defence fields.

Nato-Russia Joint Council Briefing - 2 - 26 September 1997

A correspondent asked whether Russia wanted a larger role in peacekeeping, particularly in Europe, and what had been the reaction of Russia's partners, particularly the United States. Mr. Primakov said that Russia was already playing its part in peacekeeping operations in Europe, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Slovenia, under a United Nations mandate. It was happy to continue taking part in peacekeeping operations and ready to bear an equal share with others. Mr. Solana said the United States reaction had been very positive. The participants had agreed to create a working group to work out practical means of cooperation between NATO and Russia and hoped to have an initial report by December. Asked what he thought about the fact that the Council's first ministerial-level meeting had taken place at the United Nations, Mr. Primakov said that had been a great help. It was easier to gather at the United Nations because all the Ministers were here anyway for the General Assembly session. It was also symbolically important that they had met at the United Nations, the Organization which brought everyone together. By holding the meeting at the United Nations, they showed the world the respect they had for the Organization. Had the question of arresting war criminals in Bosnia been mentioned at the meeting? a correspondent asked. Mr. Solana said the Dayton Accord had come up and it had been stated that everything provided for in the Dayton agreements should be implemented. Mr. Primakov added -- "very firmly" -- that the meeting had not been convened to arrest anyone. An early draft of the Council's work plan had included such issues as military strategy, defence policy, nuclear doctrine and arms control, a correspondent said. Had those issues been discussed in detail at the meeting? Mr. Solana said it had not been possible to discuss all those points. However, they had approved the work plan so that such questions could be discussed. Mr. Derycke added that the plan included all the issues that were to be discussed. However, there were too many for them to have possibly discussed them all this morning. Asked whether he had discussed specific measures relating to peacekeeping operations, Mr. Primakov said they had set up the working group to look at the details of how Russia, together with NATO, would take part in peacekeeping operations. Did Russia and NATO intend to be more active on the Bosnian issues of the indictment of war criminals, freedom of movement and return of refugees? a correspondent asked. Mr. Solana said the mission of the Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina had not changed. Without its participation, the municipal elections would not have taken place. The Force would continue to provide an environment of security -- that was their basic responsibility -- so that other agencies could continue to do their work.

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