MOSCOW. March 21 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has invited NATO's military-political leadership to take part in the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security scheduled for April 23-25, Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin said.
"This year, we have invited the defense policy chiefs of 124 countries, including the members of the North Atlantic alliance and the European Union, as well as NATO's military-political leadership," Fomin said at a news briefing for military attaches on Thursday.
"We are not seeking to give the floor only to partners who share our views. We are prepared to listen to and discuss any viewpoints," Fomin said.
"We see the principal goal of our conference as an honest, open, and equitable dialogue and also a joint search for mutually acceptable solutions on security problems. After all, it is the people in uniforms who know the true value of peace and therefore can find a common language in discussing the most pressing issues in the defense and security field," Fomin said.
"We expect professional and committed discussions," he said.
No NATO representatives have taken part in the annual international security conferences hosted by the Russian Defense Ministry in the past several years.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the past conference held on April 4, 2018: "The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly invited NATO to start dialogue. However, Brussels is not prepared for a respectful conversation. We, for our part, are not going to knock on a closed door. But we won't ignore attempts to put pressure on us."