Dmitry Medvedev took part in a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of heads of state and government, whose main theme was Next Steps in NATO-Russia Cooperation. The Russian leader presented his proposals on building further cooperation between Russia and NATO. Following the meeting, a Joint Statement was adopted by the heads of state and government of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) members. The document notes, in particular, that the security of all states in the Euro-Atlantic community is indivisible and the security of NATO and Russia is interlinked. The parties intend to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism, piracy and drug trafficking, including in Afghanistan. In addition, the NRC has been tasked with a development of a comprehensive Joint Analysis of the future framework for broader missile defence cooperation. The participants approved a Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges, outlining shared views on key security questions and ways to address them through practical cooperation. On the sidelines of the summit Dmitry Medvedev had a number of bilateral meetings: with President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, President of the United States Barack Obama, and President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. President Medvedev invited Hamid Karzai to visit Russia 

23 November 2010 ã.   Dmitry Medvedev's News Conference following NATO-Russia Council Meeting

It is clearly in our interests therefore to be able to build a predictable defence strategy that takes into account the shape of our relations with NATO as one of the world’s major military and political blocs. If there are predictable, transparent and clear relations in which we have a clear picture of where we can work together, and where we can cooperate on issues such as European missile defence, it will be easier for us to set our policies, our economic policy, in accordance. Relations between Russia and NATO thus ultimately have an impact on ordinary Russians’ quality of life, and on ordinary Europeans’ quality of life too. There is plenty of discussion now on just how much the European missile defence system will cost, for example, because the crisis is still making itself felt and no one has much money to spare, but everyone realises that this system would have a high price tag. If we reached an agreement, decided to go ahead with work together, if the NATO countries accepted this decision, we could look at all of this, but we first need to be clear about the costs involved and just what it would all entail. I therefore stress this point that good relations between Russia and NATO have a bearing on many things, including our countries’ economic development 

23 November 2010 ã.   Beginning of the Russian President's meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

The summit of the NATO-Russia Council has just taken place and was very constructive in spirit. We agreed that there are many areas in which we are working together successfully, and I hope this cooperation will continue. We have got through the difficult patch in our relations. We have wide-ranging plans now, and we hope to work in all areas, including European missile defence, as this NATO-Russia Council meeting has just demonstrated. I want to say a separate thanks to you, Silvio, for your consistently friendly and constructive role. You are a very experienced politician. Looking back at where we started from and recalling the difficulties we have gone through, I think that we have achieved good results. Russian-Italian relations could serve as an example of ideal cooperation between Russia and the countries in the EU and NATO 

20 November 2010 ã.   NATO-Russia set on path towards strategic partnership

NRC leaders pledged to “work towards achieving a true strategic and modernised partnership based on the principles of reciprocal confidence, transparency, and predictability, with the aim of contributing to the creation of a common space of peace, security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.” The NRC Heads of State and Government took a number of important decisions.

First, they endorsed the first ever Joint Review of 21st Century Common Security Challenges, outlining shared views of Russia and Allies on key security questions and ways to address them through practical cooperation. Second, they agreed on a joint ballistic missile threat assessment and decided to resume Theatre Missile Defence Cooperation. Moreover, they tasked a development of a comprehensive Joint Analysis of the future framework for broader missile defence cooperation. This work will be assessed at the June 2011 meeting of NRC Defence Ministers. Third, participants reconfirmed a shared determination to assist in the stabilisation of Afghanistan and the whole region. In this context, they welcomed broadened transit arrangements through Russian territory for non-lethal ISAF goods, moved to expand the counter-narcotics training and decided to task a development of an NRC Helicopter Maintenance Trust Fund in 2011 

21 October 2010 ã.   Medvedev calls for overcoming stereotypes regarding Russia and NATO

“Relations between Russia and NATO have always been difficult. This may be a heritage, plus emotions, feelings and public perception. We all have some historical background. And this certainly burdens our relations, including relations with NATO,” Medvedev said at a meeting with Munich Security Conference participants at his residence in Gorki outside Moscow, on Wednesday, October 20. He agreed with the remarks made by some conference participants that there is a feeling in Russia that “NATO is some aggressive component with regard to Russia.” “This is perhaps a delusion to a large extent. But it is also obvious that Russia is often regarded by a part of the Western world and ordinary people as a country that can never have democracy and where the leadership is always committed to authoritarian principles and does not want to develop together with the rest of the world,” the president said 

30 September 2010 ã.   Lisbon may host Russia-NATO Council (The Voice of Russia)

Sergei Lavrov considers NATO’s initiation of practical cooperation in areas such as Afghanistan-related problems, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and building an air defense shield, to be very important. There is one strange thing about the latter problem, the minister said, implying the appearance of new missile threats in Europe, while Russia, Washington and Brussels seek ways to remove the existing ones. This runs counter to all air defense agreements reached between the parties. Touching upon the new strategic concept of NATO, due to be outlined at the upcoming summit, Sergei Lavrov also mentioned a couple of ambiguous phrases. On the one hand we are partners, the diplomat said, while on the other hand, NATO pledges to protect its new member-states from the so-called “threat from the East” 

27 September 2010 ã.   Press Release of the Russian Mission to NATO

The regular meeting of the Executive Steering Committee on the NRC Project on Counter-Narcotics Training of Afghan and Central Asian Personnel will take place on October 1, 2010 at NATO HQ. Main questions to be discussed – implementation of current curriculum as well as prospects for further extension of the project

27 September 2010 ã.   Russia, NATO should step up ties to tackle Afghan drug threat - Lavrov

Russia "is ready to consider various forms of cooperation, involving delivery of helicopters on commercial basis, search for other ways of supporting the law enforcement structures of the country [Afghanistan]," Sergei Lavrov said. In time of the same interview, Lavrov said Moscow has received an official invitation to a forthcoming NATO summit in Lisbon. NATO is not sufficiently cooperating with Russia in tackling the Afghan drug threat, Nilolay Bordyuzha, CSTO Secretary General, said in late March. "We (CSTO leadership) have repeatedly told NATO: let's tackle this problem together because this is not a regional but a global threat," he complained, saying that NATO has so far been reluctant to do so. The sooner NATO starts full cooperation with Russia, the sooner they will set up an effective scheme to combat Afghan drug trafficking, Bordyuzha said. Afghan drug production increased dramatically after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001, and Russia has been one of the most affected countries, with heroin consumption rising steeply. An estimated 90% of heroin consumed in Russia is trafficked from Afghanistan via Tajikistan and Uzbekistan 

24 September 2010 ã.   Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s Attendance at Russia-NATO Council Meeting (press release)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov took part in an informal foreign-minister level meeting of the Russia-NATO Council (RNC) in the framework of the ministerial segment of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. A frank exchange of views took place on the current state of, and prospects for the further development of political dialogue in the RNC format, on ways to improve the Euro-Atlantic security architecture, including in the context of the preparation of a new Strategic Concept of NATO, and on themes relating to practical collaboration within the Council in responding to today’s common security challenges and threats. Participants in the meeting also discussed a number of pressing international and regional problems, in particular, the situation in Afghanistan 

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