MOSCOW. Nov 23 (Interfax-AVN) - NATO Secretary General George Robertson told a Friday press conference in Moscow that President Vladimir Putin made it clear to him that Russia is not going to interfere or seek the right for Russia to veto issues that are vitally important to NATO.
Robertson said the Russian president also made it clear that he is not talking about using any mechanisms for involving Russia in NATO through the back door.
Robertson said that he reached an agreement with Putin that there are possibilities for Russia-NATO cooperation in the "20" format on issues on which Moscow and Brussels have mutual concerns.
The NATO secretary general said Putin stressed that these possibilities should by no means be missed.
Robertson said that the goal of his current visit and negotiations is to determine new spheres for cooperation in which NATO and Russia can work in the "20" format, and not in the "19 plus 1" format.
Robertson said it is too early to talk about formats or the content of possible new mechanisms.
At the same time, Robertson said it is time to qualitatively change the nature of Russia-NATO relations. The NATO secretary general said this is the message he will bring from Moscow to Brussels.