Foreign Minister Ivanov: As you know, the UK Secretary of State for Defense and I have just had a meeting. The main attention was paid to the further development of cooperation in the military field between our countries as a component element of bilateral cooperation. We believe that this is an important direction. Recently - after a certain pause - contacts were resumed in this area and they have generally been developing successfully. We believe that this is important for cooperation not only in the military field, but also for the strengthening of mutual trust and coordination on other issues.

We discussed the situation in Afghanistan, both from the angle of the joint efforts of the international community to combat terrorism and in terms of the direct participation of the international community in the settlement of problems in the country. It must be said that Russia and the UK have from the outset been very closely cooperating both in the framework of the exchange of information and in the realization of concrete actions aimed at the liquidation of the seat of terrorism in Afghanistan. We had the common opinion that this cooperation in the interests of settlement in and around Afghanistan can in principle become the prototype of future concerted action by the international community against new threats and challenges, and so a very calm, but solid analysis is required here - what we have managed to achieve and what perhaps we have not quite managed to - so as to subsequently draw on this experience for the solution of other tasks. We also discussed the negotiations, which will be continued this Friday in Brussels, on the elaboration of a new mechanism of cooperation between Russia and NATO. As I already stressed yesterday, in this regard the UK holds a constructive stand. At a point in the past, the UK Prime Minister put forward concrete proposals on that score. And now the UK Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs and Defense have confirmed the stand of the UK in favor of the creation of just this kind of not a consultative, but a truly working mechanism which would enable our countries to jointly search for a solution to the problems with which our states and the international community as a whole are faced, and then to realize them in practice. In London it was important to once more get the assurances that the UK will continue to adhere to just this stand within NATO. For us this is very important, considering the role of the UK.

We also discussed the situation around a possible expansion of cooperation in the field of defense and foreign policy between Russia and the European Union. This is a separate line of activity not competing with the Russia-NATO relationship, although we sometimes have occasion to tackle identical or similar problems. But with consideration for the extension of the sphere of activity of the European Union to the field of foreign policy and defense we consider that within the framework of our policy for the development of relations with the European Union, this field, which is assuming a tangible, concrete character, also should form a part of the sphere of our cooperation. We hope that even by the Russia-European summit, which is due on May 28, 2002, in Moscow, we will be able to submit a real joint report on the possibilities of cooperation in this important sphere.

I expressed gratitude to the UK Ministry of Defense for the assistance which it has been rendering in the retraining of officers who are transferred to the reserve, and in some other fields.

In the morning there was also a meeting with the special representative for BiH, Mr. Paddy Ashdown. We discussed in detail the situation in the Balkans and our cooperation as regards Bosnian settlement. It must be said that our positions are very similar. The interest was emphasized - by the way, the UK Secretary of State for Defense had also emphasized this - in Russia continuing to play an active role in the Balkans. Moreover, as you know, the role of the European Union is increasing, and the EU intends to deploy its, perhaps, even independent operations in the Balkans and is interested that Russia should also closely cooperate with it in this.

Question: At what level on Friday will the talks be held that you have mentioned?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: At the level of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Gusarov and NATO's Under-Secretary-General.

Question: Were the latest initiatives of the UK on Afghanistan discussed? I mean a possible dispatch of troops.

Foreign Minister Ivanov: The UK Secretary of State for Defense informed me that the UK leadership had taken a decision to send an additional contingent of its troops to Afghanistan. This is due to the fact that at this period it is necessary to strengthen the international security force, as well as in connection with the request from the Afghan leadership to prevent the situation in Afghanistan from becoming destabilized while there continues the formation of its own army, of its own security forces. But the Secretary emphasized that this decision bears a temporary character, that the UK, just as, indeed, other countries, believes that this operation (meaning the presence of the international security force in Afghanistan) should be carried out only on the basis of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. As you know, the previous resolution was adopted six months ago, and this period expires in June of the current year. So if in June the Security Council adopts a decision to extend the period of stay of the international security force, the UK intends to keep its contingent there. I want once more to stress that there is a clear understanding in London that the stay of the international security force should continue for the transitional period in Afghanistan.

As you know, a meeting of the Loya Jirga is due to be held, then an interim government will be elected for 18 months. During this transitional period the role of the international community for the preservation of stability will have a particular significance. The UK and many other countries, including Russia, intend to concentrate their efforts on the rendering of assistance to the leadership of Afghanistan both in the formation of its own army and of its own security forces and border troops so that the leadership of the country can fully assume the responsibility for the solution of these questions.

Question: Have you comment on the recent statement of Mr. George Tenet, in which he actually accused Russia of assisting in the creation of weapons of mass destruction?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: Such statements can only cause regret. Mr. Tenet, of all people, knows very well the contacts we are maintaining with the representatives of the US administration. Recently Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was in Washington, and he also discussed these questions. We have always stressed that if somebody has the facts, if specifically Mr. Tenet has such facts, they must be submitted. We have the appropriate channels of cooperation between the foreign ministries, between the defense ministries and between the special services. That is to say, any channel can be used for these purposes, and we are willing to consider this sort of anxieties together. Yet unfounded statements, not supported by facts, do not accord with the present spirit and character of Russian-American relations.

Question: Did the British side raise the question of its possible participation in a strike against Iraq?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: As you know, the theme of Iraqi settlement was considered yesterday in the course of our talks at the Foreign Office. Today in the Ministry of Defense this question was not discussed. Yesterday's discussion went from the vantage point of the efforts of the UN Security Council for the implementation of the relevant resolutions. We considered no questions relating to military scenarios because we regard them as counterproductive.

Question: Reports are coming in about your meeting with Colin Powell in the middle of April. Can you specify when and where it will take place?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: During our recent telephone conversations with US Secretary of State Colin Powell we discussed the possibility of holding our meeting in the near future in one of third countries with due regard for the course of the talks on the documents which are being prepared for the upcoming visit of the President of the United States to Moscow. I think we will find the place and time to reach appropriate decisions. We are in continual contact. Yesterday from London I had a talk with the US Secretary of State. I do not rule out that the meeting will take place in April already.