Esteemed Gentlemen,

I want to stress that the focus of our discussion was of course the terrorist threat, but we went far beyond this problem and talked about a full range of relations between Russia and NATO. I must say that the conversation was very frank and substantive, we talked about the situation in different regions of the world and about ways for developing relations between the Russian Federation and NATO. We have accumulated good experience of cooperation. And I feel we could give thought to developing relations at least in two directions: partnership in the strictly political area and the expansion of our cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Secretary General didn't mention that, but I think I won't give away a big secret if I tell you that Mr. Secretary General came up with an initiative to create a working body that would consider the possibility of expanding, deepening and qualitatively changing the relations between Russia and NATO. I find this a very good, businesslike proposal. Of course, we will support it. I am grateful for this initiative.

Thank you.

Question: We know that the United States has drawn up a list of inquiries to all NATO members concerning the struggle against terrorism. Do you know of the content of this list, has the US approached you and how can you comment on this fact?

Vladimir Putin: I think that within an allied organization which NATO is and as part of the activation of Article 5 of the Treaty it looks quite natural, major countries of the Alliance making resort to their organization. And it is also quite natural that this list of questions was sent precisely to NATO and not to Russia, because Russia, as you understand, is not a NATO member. But the content of this list of problems, of questions is known to us. To Russia, no one made a secret of this. The exchange of information on problems of concern to us in this sphere you have touched on, is being effected between Russia and the United States on a bilateral basis. On the political level we are extremely satisfied with what is happening in this sphere; on the operational level - the mechanisms that have now been activated or which are being born anew need improvement.

Question: A week ago, speaking in the FRG Bundestag, you spoke of a necessity to start building partner relations between countries not so much on declared principles as on the real principles of openness, equality and mutual respect. Has your appeal been heard? And a second question: What is your attitude to the expansion of NATO?

Vladimir Putin: I will begin with the second part of the question. I just now answered the same question, it seems, from a Monde correspondent at today's first press conference as part of our meeting with the European Union leadership. Our stand on the issue of NATO expansion is basically well known and there are no changes here. We, of course, spoke here about this also today with the Secretary General. And in the light of the recent events, I think, to all it must be clear, the following circumstance must be obvious and understandable.

Suppose NATO's expansion will take place. New members will be admitted to this organization. Whose security will this improve? Which country of Europe will become more secure? Citizens of which country of the world will feel after this in greater security? Ask any person on the street in Berlin or Paris, or in any other European capital, if he from the NATO decision will feel in security from terrorist threats of the proportions and character which we encountered in New York or Washington or not. The answer will obviously be: "No."

But, it seems to me, we must get out of this logic when the problem of expansion constantly renews among us a discussion of a destructive character between Russia and NATO. It is necessary to get away from this logic.

Here I want to move to answering the first part of your question. Have Western leaders heard our signals of readiness for closer cooperation between Russia and NATO? We have the feeling that these signals have been heard. We'll have to see how this becomes realized on a practical plane. But the position of the President of the United States is known to me, which he has quite explicitly stated, and we feel a change of the approaches of the Western community and of the United States after the clear signals from the US President about a necessity to alter the character of relations between Russia, and the States and the Western community as a whole. We feel that practical changes are beginning to occur in the quality of our relations. Approximately the same I can state after the meeting with the European Union leadership. And the practical proposal which was today formulated by the NATO Secretary General, confirms the same very fact, indicating that they in NATO too are willing to expand and change the quality of relations with the Russian Federation. We are ready for this work.


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