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Moscow,
January 26, 2001 |
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(...) The normalization of our relations with the North Atlantic Bloc is proceeding in a complex way. After the Balkan events, they have been thrown back and I am convinced that it was not through our fault. Now the quality of interaction is being gradually restored. And this is right. NATO is a real presence in European and world politics. If we manage to build a relationship in the spirit of frankness, openness and constructive interaction, it would make a substantial contribution to both European stability and our own security. I would like to stress that this is in the context of the interests of our state. Even so, we still consider the line for the expansion of NATO to be a mistake and we openly declare in the dialogue with the Alliance that we reject it in principle. (...) |
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