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Putin Praises Improved Relations With U.S., NATO, but Says Old Differences Remain

MOSCOW (AP) - President Vladimir Putin praised Russia's improved relations with the United States and NATO, but said Moscow's previous opposition to U.S. missile defense plans and the alliance's eastward expansion remained. Moscow's relations with Washington and NATO have warmed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, and NATO is considering proposals to give Russia a voice in decision-making on certain issues.

In an interview with Greek media ahead of his visit to Greece beginning Thursday, Putin said the evolving relationship did not change Russia's view that NATO expansion "makes no sense from a security point of view." The interview was posted on the Kremlin Web site on Wednesday.

However, if Russia is given an equal voice with NATO countries on certain security issues, that "would make the problem of NATO expansion no longer relevant or important," Putin said.

Also on Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow had fully met its obligations under the START I nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States, but said it had some "questions" about whether Washington had lived up to its part of the deal.

"We expect the United States to also reach the thresholds designated by the treaty," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in the statement. "At the same time, we have questions concerning (its) fulfillment of some obligations under the treaty."

Putin also reiterated Moscow's opposition to scrapping the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. The United States is running up against the treaty in its development of a national missile defense system and wants to modify the agreement.

"As before, Russia views this treaty as a cornerstone of international security," Putin said.

He added that Russia itself did not feel threatened by a U.S. missile shield.

"The security of Russia itself, at least in the next decade, would not suffer at all," he said. "We have enough weapons saved up of the type that cannot be countered by modern missile defense technology."

Putin praised the anti-terrorism operation in Afghanistan, but warned against assuming the war against terrorism had been won.

"To solve all the problems with one swoop in the course of a few weeks is not possible," he said. "Now it is more important than ever to launch a complex political settlement in Afghanistan."

He added that settlement of regional conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere was also vital to fighting terrorism.

-- Anonymous, December 05, 2001