Russia Suspends Cooperation With NATO | Voice of America - English
Russia has stopped all military cooperation with NATO after alliance foreign ministers said future ties depend on Russia pulling back troops in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
Russia has notified NATO that it is halting international military cooperation with the alliance until further notice. NATOlast week suspended plans for a Russian ship to join counterterrorismpatrols in the Mediterranean Sea following Russia's invasion ofGeorgian territory outside the breakaway republics of South Ossetia andAbkhazia. Given NATO's own action, White House Spokesman GordonJohndroe says Russia's decision to end military cooperation with NATOdoes not mean much. "For all practical purposes,military-to-military cooperation had really already been suspended withthe Russians," he said. "NATO canceled some exercises, and I can'timagine a circumstance right now that we would engage in militarycooperation with the Russians until the situation in Georgia isresolved." Under a 2002 agreement with NATO, Russia agreed tocooperate on a number of projects including anti-missile technology,sea rescues, and combating heroin trafficking in Afghanistan. Johndroesays the United States is hopeful for the day that military cooperationwill resume, but he says right now Russia is making decisions that hesays are not in line with becoming part of a Europe that is whole,free, and at peace. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saysRussia intends to keep 500 troops at a series of checkpoints in asecurity zone surrounding South Ossetia. Johndroe says Russia isviolating its commitment to withdraw to previous positions in SouthOssetia and Abkhazia as part of a French-brokered cease-fire. "The Russians need to honor their commitment," he said. "They made a commitment to withdraw. We expect them to withdraw." Russia is promising to complete that withdrawal by Friday. U.S.military spokesman Bryan Whitman says Russian movements are minimal andthere is no evidence of a significant military withdrawal. U.S.President George Bush says South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part ofGeorgia's international recognized borders and Russia must not layclaim to the territories. Foreign Minister Lavrov last week saidGeorgia can forget about getting back the separatist regions as RussianPresident Dmitri Medvedev met with the self-declared leaders of SouthOssetia and Abkhazia. The upper house of Russia's parliament is set to begin debate Monday on recognizing the independence of the two republics.