Russia has invited the North Atlantic Alliance to hold a special session of the Russia-NATO Council devoted to the situation in the Caucasus, Russia’s permanent representative at NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said after a working meeting with NATO’s Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Thursday.
Earlier, the Russian envoy told Itar-Tass Moscow insisted on a detailed discussion of Georgia-related matters and on a fundamental discussion with NATO, not at the level of ambassadors, but with the participation of a senior representative of Russia’s General Staff.
Rogozin said there remained a wide divide between Russia and NATO over the events in Georgia.
“I have the impression, though, that the divide is a ritual one. NATO countries’ representatives are not prepared to honestly recognize yet what has been nakedly clear for so long. I do not believe that this is a theme NATO should shirk, hiding the head in the sand,” Rogozin said.
The Russian envoy recalled that NATO officials had expressed concern over Russia’s plans for creating a military base in Abkhazia.
“We should be very calm in going about this business. We did have bases in Georgia. When we pulled them out, the war began. Now we have to create a new base to prevent a repetition of such tragic events. Not to mention how many bases the alliance has itself,” Rogozin said.
