Russia offers aid in Afghanistan, but links it to NATO concerns

Mar 28, 2008, 10:56 GMT

Moscow/Brussels - Russia said Friday it was prepared to offer NATO military aid in Afghanistan as long as its security concerns, namely Georgia and Ukraine's inclusion in NATO, were respected, news agency Interfax reported.

Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin announced an informal NATO-Russia summit in which Russia 'would talk over the possibility of Russia offering assistance to the international force's efforts in Afghanistan.'

Rogozin added that a US offer of military aid to Kosovo - which Russia opposes - would also be on the agenda for the meeting with NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer set at 15.00 GMT time in Brussels.

The informal talks come less than a week ahead of a NATO summit to be attended by President Vladimir Putin in Bucharest, where members will review whether to allow the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine a place in the organization.

Rogozin said Afghanistan would be on the agenda in Bucharest, adding 'Russia has serious remarks' to make on this.

Russia has tentatively offered NATO troops an air and ground transport corridor through its territory to northern Afghanistan.

In Moscow on Friday, Russia's deputy Foreign Minister confirmed Russia's readiness to help NATO, but said such aid would depend on Moscow's 'security interest' being respected.

Moscow has responded increasingly harshly to what it views as the threat of a foreign military bloc along its borders.

'A qualitatively new cooperation' with NATO over Afghanistan would not be possible 'if each party's lawful security interests are not taken into account,' Alexander Grushko was quoted by Interfax as saying.

Grushko, however, denied reports that Moscow was looking for a 'trade-off' with NATO in order to halt Georgia and Ukraine's path to membership.

'There is no trade-off and there cannot be one,' he said.

Putin earlier this month drew a link between NATO expansion and its efforts in Afghanistan in comments criticizing NATO's involvement in the country for the first time since 2001.

Objecting to what he termed 'NATO's endless expansion,' Putin said: 'We have no objections to helping in Afghanistan, but it is another matter when it is NATO providing the assistance.'