NATO – Russia Council meeting on 26th April 2007

The subject meeting was part of the two-day informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Oslo, 26-27 April.
Practical NATO-Russia cooperation, missile defence, and the CFE treaty were the three main issues discussed by Foreign Ministers at a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council.
Ministers welcomed the practical cooperation in the NATO-Russia relationship, noting in particular joint work on countering the Afghan narcotics challenge, Operation Active Endeavour, and theatre missile defence.
They also discussed strategic missile defence, specifically US discussions to base missile facilities in Europe. It was clear that, while the 26 NATO Allies believe that these US plans can in no way upset the strategic balance in Europe, Russia has fundamental concerns.
There was a consensus on the need to take this discussion forward in the NATO-Russia Council in the future, focusing in particular on threat assessment.
Finally, Allies expressed profound concerns and disquiet over President Putin's announcement, earlier on 26th April, that Russia would unilaterally suspend its adhesion to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE).
NATO Allies have always complied fully with the existing and adapted CFE treaties, and hope for the ratification of the adapted Treaty as soon as Russia fully meets its Istanbul commitments to withdraw personnel and equipment from Georgia and Moldova.
Again, this issue will be further discussed in the NATO-Russia Council.

The Arab Peace Initiative for Middle East

On the 28th of March 2007, the Arab League Summit was held in Riyadh/ Saudi Arabia. During the summit was discussed this question: what to do in order to promote the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in Beirut (2002)by the Arab Summit.
The significance of the Arab Peace Initiative is that it provides all interested and concerned parties with a comprehensive solution process in order to solve all the aspects of the Middle East conflict.
The significance for Israel is that it provides Israel with recognition, normalization and security guaranteed by 22 Arab countries together, provided it withdraws from all the Arab territories occupied in 1967 and provided it adheres to an agreed solution to the Palestinian refugee problem that is achieved in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194.
For the Palestinians it means the establishment of a Palestinian independent state based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.
For the Syrians it means the return of the Golan Heights.
With the impasse in the peace process, and with the failure of the gradual solutions in the last 15 years, the Arab Peace Initiative provides the alternative way-out towards comprehensive peace and reconciliation.