MOSCOW. May 19 (Interfax) - Head of the State Duma International Committee Konstantin Kosachyov believes that at this Wednesday press conference Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave an exhaustive explanation of the Russian stance on cooperation with the Weston on strategic stability matters.
"To my mind, the components of the president's approach were clearly formulated. Component No. 1: we are ready for cooperation on issues of strategic stability that affect the national security of the sides. Theser are matters of the further reduction of strategic nuclear armaments, the agenda of possible cooperation in missile defense, counterterrorism, and the settlement of conflicts occurring in the world. We should be interacting on these issues," Kosachyov noted in a commentary posted on the website of United Russia party.
He said that the second component is "if the West starts evading such cooperation and proceeding from its own interests, then it will be their choice which we can only regret."
"In this case we will take similar measures on our own part. For Russia the issue of national security is no bargaining chip," Kosachyov stressed.