MOSCOW. April 25 (Interfax) - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) negotiating platform helps prevent negative developments on the Russia-NATO contact line, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger on the sidelines of the Moscow Conference on International Security.
"Your participation in the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security underlines OSCE's desire to seek ways to ease tensions in Europe. Today, one can and should speak about the need for a new detente, because building up the military presence on the Russia-NATO contact line, and derailing the current plans for the military dialogue are theoretically posing risks of incidents," he said.
"The OSCE platform is largely helpful in thwarting negative developments," he said.
Despite the attempts to politicize the dialogue in Vienna, Russia wants to maintain and expand it, Shoigu said.
Greminger, in turn, thanked the Russian minister for his invitation to visit Moscow and for an opportunity to speak up for the local audience and meet with him.