14 February 2001 00:00
ON RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY SERGEI IVANOV'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY JOSCHKA FISCHER
2001-02-13-04
On February 13 Sergei Ivanov, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, received in the Kremlin the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joschka Fischer. A circumstantial talk was held on a wide range of questions pertaining to Russian-German cooperation in various fields, including in the sphere of security. The interlocutors exchanged views on key problems of European and international politics. In particular, they focussed on the necessity of preserving strategic stability, maintaining the regime for the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies and averting a new spiral in the armaments race. The problems of Russian-German cooperation in the Baltic Region were also touched upon.
Serious attention was paid during the talk to European security problems, and the development of Russia's dialogue in this field with the European Union. We regard the Europeans' desire to ensure their security and remove crisis situations with their own forces as fully justified, and are willing to constructively cooperate with them in these matters, said Ivanov. Russia is also willing to consider in a substantive way the aspects of our possible cooperation in the military and civil components of crisis settlement, and of cooperation in questions of conflict prevention, including in international organizations. Russia holds a negative view of the plans for NATO's extension, Ivanov noted. We recognize that the North Atlantic bloc is a serious player on the European political field of security. But not the only one. Today three major forces operate on the continent in this sphere - NATO, the OSCE, the European Union. If we manage to find a correct balance of cooperation in this triangle, we will significantly consolidate European security, the Russian Security Council Secretary emphasized.
In the past year Russia and Germany advanced considerably towards a new quality of relations, Ivanov said after the meeting. This opens up additional opportunities for our cooperation in questions of security, strategic stability and disarmament, he stressed.
The interstate consultations to be held in St. Petersburg at the beginning of April must become a milestone in bilateral ties, according to Ivanov. During these consultations, the sides will determine important landmarks of Russian-German cooperation for the coming years. Also of great importance will be the first Russian-German forum of the public figures, leading politicians and cultural personalities of our countries, timed for this summit. We expect that one of the main themes of discussion at the forum will be the questions of the reinforcement of European security, Ivanov said.
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