MOSCOW. March 29 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is forced to take very serious note of NATO's enlargement, says a statement from Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko circulated on Monday.
"NATO's enlargement has an undoubted effect on Russia's political, military and, to some extent, economic interests. This forces us to take very serious note of it," Yakovenko said.
"The most important factor that can improve European security is a radical change in the very nature of NATO and a consistent implementation of the agreements on the new quality of relations between Russia and NATO, including the joint struggle against new and real threats and challenges," he said.
He said "Russia is determined to continue its diverse political work in order to create a system of European security that would take into account and guarantee the interests of all states."
"We will work to ensure the earliest possible joining by Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia of the adjusted Treaty on the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. We do not see any alternative to its enforcement," Yakovenko said.