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Nato to discuss ties with Russia Nato to discuss ties with Russia
(about 1 hour later)
Foreign ministers from Nato countries are meeting in Brussels to discuss resuming co-operation with Russia.Foreign ministers from Nato countries are meeting in Brussels to discuss resuming co-operation with Russia.
Relations between the alliance and Moscow were frozen after Russia's brief war with Georgia in August.Relations between the alliance and Moscow were frozen after Russia's brief war with Georgia in August.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she broadly backed efforts to improve relations but that some areas remained "problematic".US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she broadly backed efforts to improve relations but that some areas remained "problematic".
The ministers will also be discussing ways to increase Nato's co-operation with Georgia and Ukraine. Ministers are also likely to disappoint Ukraine and Georgia, which had been hoping for a roadmap to membership.
They are expected to encourage Tbilisi and Kiev to pursue reforms needed to join the alliance, but will stop short of offering formal roadmaps, the so-called membership action plans (MAP), the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Brussels says. Moscow strongly opposes their ambitions to join the alliance, and some countries, like Germany, France and Italy, fear offering them a so-called membership action plan (MAP) would provoke Russia, correspondents say.
Moscow strongly opposes Georgia and Ukraine's plans to join the alliance. Instead, ministers are expected to encourage Tbilisi and Kiev to pursue reforms needed to join the alliance, but will stop short of offering MAPs, the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Brussels says.
'Problematic''Problematic'
Nato ministers are not expected to revive the Nato-Russian Council, say analysts, but could approve a resumption of lower-level dialogue with Moscow.Nato ministers are not expected to revive the Nato-Russian Council, say analysts, but could approve a resumption of lower-level dialogue with Moscow.
No one wants to see a circumstance in which Ukraine and Georgia are shut out Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State Nato bid has a long way to goNo one wants to see a circumstance in which Ukraine and Georgia are shut out Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State Nato bid has a long way to go
Ms Rice said she was not opposed "in principle" to improving the council's activities, but warned against military co-operation.Ms Rice said she was not opposed "in principle" to improving the council's activities, but warned against military co-operation.
"We should be very attentive to what the Russians are doing and are they living up to their obligations," she said."We should be very attentive to what the Russians are doing and are they living up to their obligations," she said.
"There are certain types of activities, like military-to-military contacts, that seem to me to be problematic, when the Russian ministry is sitting in Georgian territory, in the separatist regions.""There are certain types of activities, like military-to-military contacts, that seem to me to be problematic, when the Russian ministry is sitting in Georgian territory, in the separatist regions."
Thousands of Russian troops are still stationed in Georgia's rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.Thousands of Russian troops are still stationed in Georgia's rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
'No shortcuts''No shortcuts'
In Brussels, the Nato ministers will be also discussing the proposed membership of Georgia and Ukraine Nato is deeply divided on how to proceed, following the conflict over South Ossetia in the summer, correspondents say.
But they are expected to stop short of offering Kiev and Tbilisi MAPs - or the fast track to joining the alliance. While the US and newer Nato members, from the former Warsaw Pact, are keen to draw Georgia and Ukraine closer, others like Germany and France are wary of antagonising Russia, a key energy supplier.
The Georgian conflict in the summer raised doubts among some members, including Germany and France, over whether it was ready to join the bloc or remained too volatile. The war also raised doubts among many members over whether Georgia, with its disputed territories, was ready to join the bloc or remained too volatile.
Ms Rice said she believed in Nato's "open door policy" but that there should be "no short cuts to membership of Nato" and both Ukraine and Georgia must first meet the organisation's admission standards. Ukraine has been beset by political turbulence, with the country split on Nato membership.
Ms Rice said she believed in Nato's "open door policy" but that there should be "no short cuts to membership of Nato", and that both Ukraine and Georgia must first meet the organisation's admission standards.
"No one wants to see a circumstance in which Ukraine and Georgia are shut out," she said."No one wants to see a circumstance in which Ukraine and Georgia are shut out," she said.
Nato does not want Russia to think it has a veto over who joins the alliance, our correspondent says.Nato does not want Russia to think it has a veto over who joins the alliance, our correspondent says.
So the ministers are expected to discuss a compromise formula of seeking to further Ukrainian and Georgian entry ambitions, but bypassing the MAPs.So the ministers are expected to discuss a compromise formula of seeking to further Ukrainian and Georgian entry ambitions, but bypassing the MAPs.
Instead, other less formal measures preparing the way, such as raising the standards of the countries' equipment, will be pursued.Instead, other less formal measures preparing the way, such as raising the standards of the countries' equipment, will be pursued.