NATO expansion not a threat to Russia : NATO

Moscow, June 25 (UNI) NATO's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer today denied any threat to Russia due to the expansion of Western alliance.

NATO was keeping its doors open, but no talks on membership were currently being held with Russia's former Soviet ally Georgia, Mr Sceffer said at a press conference in St Petersburg, on the occasion to mark the 10th anniversary of cooperation between Russia and NATO.

Russia had vehemently opposed the enlargement of NATO, near its borders, as the alliance had admitted ten former Eastern Bloc states, since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Moscow was also alarmed by the United States' strong backing of anti-Kremlin forces in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia, as well as by Washington's plans to deploy its missile shield elements in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Mr Sceffer said a dialogue between Russia and the US on the problem of the planned deployment of elements of the US missile defence system in Eastern Europe was a matter of great importance.

He added that the issue would be discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the US on July 1-2.

''NATO is aware of Russia's concern regarding the planned deployment of a missile defence system in Europe and is prepared for a dialogue,'' Interfax news agency quoted Scheffer as saying.

He added Russia and NATO had common interests, including non-proliferation, and a discussion of these issues must be launched instead of just saying ''No.'' Mr Scheffer also said the relations between Russia and NATO had not deteriorated, despite ''misunderstandings'', and insisted that Cold War hostilities were a thing of past.

Moscow and NATO signed a founding act to form a NATO-Russia permanent joint council ten years ago.

The current cooperation forum, the NATO-Russia Council, was set up five years ago to implement projects of common interest, which included crisis management, non-proliferation, rescue efforts, and overcoming new challenges.

The Council does not give Russia a veto right in NATO's decisions.

UNI