Russia proposes restoring military communication channels with NATO.
(Baonghean.vn) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with TASS news agency on July 26 that Russia and NATO will not make progress in negotiations on incident prevention unless they restore military communication channels.
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| Illustration photo: AP |
"If NATO members are truly interested in improving the situation in this area, then simple steps need to be taken," he said.
"First and foremost, military communication channels need to be restored. Progress is impossible without engaging with military experts because we are dealing with technically complex issues," Grushko added.
According to TASS, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister stated: “Specifically, this includes determining safe approach distances for ships and aircraft. The militaries of both sides must certainly discuss such issues. We are ready for this work.”
Also in the interview, the Moscow diplomat emphasized that Russia and NATO member states have sufficient grounds to prevent dangerous military incidents, and Moscow is ready to develop dialogue in this regard.
"We have adequate resources that allow us to avoid dangerous military incidents," the senior diplomatic official asserted.
"At the same time, we are ready to make progress on the basis of bilateral agreements. There are more than 10 such treaties with NATO countries, in fact with all countries that possess air and ground communication capabilities."
Several years ago, Moscow proposed several options “on how to move toward strengthening communication mechanisms through bilateral channels.” “We are ready to hold consultations on communication with NATO member states,” a senior Russian diplomat said.
