“The NATO Summit in Bucharest, at which the Heads of State and Government had a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has strengthened security in the Euro-Atlantic area. It has also responded in great measure to the most pressing challenges such as Afghanistan, Kosovo and other operations in which NATO is currently involved with its forces,” stressed the Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Janša, at the close of the Summit.

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

If the last NATO Summit in Riga in 2006 was a transformation summit, this one was an enlargement summit. “We have taken decisions on certain steps indispensable for NATO’s modernising and adjusting to new challenges that have arisen in the meantime. In addition, major decisions on enlargement have been taken – even if they do not go as far as we expected or advocated, NATO will nevertheless emerge from this summit a stronger alliance,” said the Prime Minister, pointing out that the enlarged alliance now included over 50 countries.

 

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

At today’s NATO-Russia Council meeting, the Heads of State and Government agreed that, since its inception in Rome, it had contributed significantly to bolstering the North-Atlantic Alliance. It had also contributed to extending security beyond the borders of the Alliance. This was also confirmed by the Russian President, who at the meeting said that cooperation, based on solid foundations, should continue, adding that the Summit’s conclusions were largely acceptable to Russia too.

 

PM Janez Janša, Angela Merkel and Romano Prodi (Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

According to Prime Minister Janez Janša, the term of office of the outgoing Russian President, Vladimir Putin, had been marked not only by strains, but also by the building of partner relations between NATO and the Russian Federation in a number of fields, a development also reflected in very practical cooperation. An agreement has thus been signed today on facilitating the transit of NATO capabilities across the territory of the Russian Federation. “This is an important step and not of merely practical importance. It proves that, in spite of existing differences, practical steps forward continue to be taken, showing that intensified dialogue is taking place,” said the Slovenian Prime Minister, adding that this gave hope of building yet further on the cooperation achieved so far.

 

PM Janez Janša is talking with his Norwegian colleague Jens Stoltenberg (Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

The Heads of State and Government today also had a meeting with the Ukrainian President, Viktor Yushchenko, and discussed relations between the Alliance and Ukraine. They praised Ukraine for its active participation in NATO operations and welcomed its progress in implementation of the necessary reforms.

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)