Russia to halt Nato visits

2008-08-26 18:11

Moscow - Russia plans to halt visits by senior Nato officials and joint military exercises with the alliance, Moscow's envoy to Nato announced on Tuesday.

"There will be no joint military exercises," Dmitry Rogozin told a Moscow news conference, adding that an upcoming visit to Moscow by Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer would also be postponed.

Rogozin listed 10 areas where Russia would limit, halt or suspend its cooperation with Nato:

* Halt high-level visits by Nato officials to Russia

* Suspend Nato naval visits to Russian ports

* Halt joint training exercises with Nato troops

* Temporarily halt legal framework negotiations with Nato

* Stop sending Russian officers to Nato training courses

* Suspend Nato staff visits to Russian military academies

* Limit Nato-Russia headquarters staff training events

* Decrease Russian officer presence at Nato events

* Suspend Nato-Russia rear-echelon training

* Suspend military and related scientific exchanges

Rogozin said the list excluded cooperation in Afghanistan, including a resupply route over Russian airspace and counter-narcotics training for Afghan police officers near Moscow.

"Afghanistan is in the final sum a common problem," he said.

Rogozin said Russia would hold off on sending a senior military officer to Brussels, where Nato has its headquarters.

He said counter-narcotics training for Afghan police would continue in Russia as would a Nato-Russia naval search and rescue agreement, but cooperation could be curtailed further as events unfold.

"If they (Nato) start smashing the dinnerware, then we can add more to the list," Rogozin said.

- Reuters