MOSCOW. July 15 (Interfax-AVN) - Rapid deployment forces being established by NATO, the European Union, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization currently have a single enemy, Army General Konstantin Totsky, Russia's envoy to NATO, who earlier headed the Russian Federal Border Guard Service, has said.
"If we look at the matter from the geographical point of view, we will see some terrorist forces in Central Asia, different ones in the Caucasus, while others are aimed at Europe and America. But terrorism has an animal face, not a human one. Terrorism proclaims that its enemies are all those who do not share its understanding of the world order. From this point of view, we have a single enemy," Totsky said in an interview published in the Izvestiya newspaper on Tuesday.
The Russian envoy noted that Russia was ready to conduct new peacekeeping actions together with NATO.
"We have signed a document ("Political Aspects of the Basic Concept of Russia-NATO Joint Peacekeeping Operations") that outlines the main principles of their (joint peacekeeping operations - Interfax-AVN) conduction. According to the document, Russia takes part in all stages of preparation and accomplishment of peacekeeping operations, starting from the making of a decision on their initiation," Totsky said.
According to him, Russia and NATO have other important spheres of joint activity in addition to struggle against terrorism.
"The work on ensuring joint operational compatibility of both our armed forces and special-purpose units is extremely necessary, other projects will stop without it. Integration of anti-missile defense systems on a theater of operation is needed, too. For this purpose, we should coordinate communication systems and informational channels, teach personnel foreign languages and technical terms: To take a decision is insufficient. Additional scientific research will be needed as well," he said.
At the same time, Totsky noted that new military bases and units may appear near Russian borders in connection with NATO enlargement.
"I think that such means of ensuring national security echo the Cold War," he said.
In particular, the delay in the ratification of the adapted Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty can only be explained "by the intention to keep hands free for relocating troops and armament to Eastern Europe," Totsky added.