Switzerland is ready to provide its services for holding a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, if required. This was announced on Monday, December 27, by the spokesman for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Valentin Klivaz.
“Switzerland is ready to provide its good offices if they are useful and required. This also includes Switzerland playing the role of host country or helping to organize conferences and meetings, ”he told RIA Novosti.
At the same time, Cleavaz noted that the Foreign Ministry does not comment on specific events and requests from the parties due to confidentiality.
Earlier that day, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the talks between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO), which are expected to take place on January 12, are very important.
Director of the pan-European think tank European Leadership Network, former Permanent Representative of Great Britain to NATO, Adam Thomson, in an interview with Izvestia, noted that Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance can agree on reducing the risks associated with neighboring countries, but this will require patient negotiations.
According to Dmitry Novikov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s international affairs committee, the West will not immediately reject all Russia’s proposals on security guarantees, but will try to demonstrate its readiness to discuss problems.
On December 23, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov spoke about the goals and objectives of the Russian negotiators in consultations with the United States on security guarantees. He stated the need to put an end to NATO’s eastward movement, as well as to exclude Ukraine from joining the alliance. According to him, the American side is aware of Russia’s priorities. Moscow emphasized that they are waiting for concrete answers on security guarantees, and not chattering about these issues.
On December 21, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) informed Izvestia about its readiness to become a platform for NATO-Russia talks on security guarantees. The OSCE offers a range of formal and informal mechanisms and tools that can be used to build dialogue and create an atmosphere of trust, the organization noted.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements between Russia and the United States and NATO on security guarantees. As follows from the documents, in particular, the alliance should refuse to conduct any military activity on the territory of Ukraine and other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
