BRUSSELS. April 3 (Interfax) - NATO is interested in the continuation of political contacts although it has suspended practical cooperation with Russia, but there is no reason for the Russia-NATO Council to convene in the near future, Russian Permanent Representative to NATO Alexander Grushko said.
"Lots of things have happened in the history of Russia-NATO relations. Any pending decisions will be based on a balanced analysis rather than emotions. I am confident there is an interest in the preservation of communication channels between such major military-political factors of the Euro-Atlantic space as Russia and NATO. It would be absolutely unwise to relegate relations to the Cold War level," Grushko told Russian reporters.
In his words, this opinion is shared by many partners in the Russia-NATO Council but the Council is unlikely to meet in the near future. "I do not see a subject to motivate me to suggest a Russia-NATO Council meeting in the foreseeable future, bearing in mind the decisions NATO made yesterday," the envoy said.
He added that Russia-NATO Council cooperation mechanisms could be adapted to the new conditions. "The Russia-NATO Council is a body dealing with the political dialogue and practical cooperation projects. Therefore, I do not rule out the need for decisions on the adaptation of interaction mechanisms if there is no cooperation," Grushko said.
The alliance will lose from severing contacts in the spheres of common interest, he remarked. "If a country does not wish to cooperate, there will be no cooperation. It is a matter of principle for us to carry on the responsibilities we have undertaken in the deterrence of new threats and challenges. If NATO is not prepared to work with us and is evading responsibility, we will be working with those partners on the international arena who share these goals," the envoy said.