Nato resumes military ties with Georgia
Ties between the two parties have been strained since last year's war in Georgia's separatist regions
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Sunday, 28, Jun 2009 09:57
Nato has resumed military cooperation with Russia after months of tension following the conflict between Georgia and Russia.
The agreement to reconvene the Nato-Russia council will see the two parties continue cooperation on Afghanistan, drug trafficking and piracy in spite of differences over Georgia.
Speaking at the meeting on the Greek island of Corfu, Nato secretary general Jaap De Hoop Scheffer said: "The NATO-Russia Council is now back in gear. We agreed not to let disagreements bring the whole train to a halt.
"On Georgia, there are still fundamental differences ... (But) Russia needs NATO and NATO needs Russia," he added.
Russia launched an offensive on Georgia following the country's attempts to put an end to a separatist uprising in South Ossetia and Abhkazia. Russia's military action was condemned by the international community.
It later recognised the two regions as independent which resulted in further criticism.
Commenting on the deal, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the deal was "to a certain extent a positive development" but stressed that its recognition of the two breakaway Georgian regions was not acceptable.
"All have to accept the new realities and [that] the decisions taken by Russia after the conflict are irreversible," Mr Lavrov said.