hello again or welcome to spotlight the interview show on our take i am and today my guest on the show is robert check out. this year we may witness a joint nato russian anti-missile defense drills which will be the first in three years operation between the two was terminated part of the conflict in south the search here in two thousand and eight but last year saw a considerable thaw in the relations between russia and the allied. all we back on track here is the director of the nato information office in moscow robert child. russian leaders joint antidrug operation in afghanistan last year was a milestone marking and you state your relations and trust however the parties haven't yet found common ground concerning the end to me so i'll shoot in europe

their mind sees it as two independent systems sharing intelligence moscow champions the idea of six areas in europe each of them responsible for threats coming from certain directions. homosexual thank you very much for being with us on the show for inviting well first of all you repeated many times speak speaking with newsmen for one that russia and nato don't consider each other enemies these are your words that you the that you like to repeat however nato the global ambitions i mean i mean the expansions to these the anti-missile plans in europe officially are officially cited in the russian military dot train as threats to our national security is russia does consider it a threat officially so is it part of your job to go to see that those threats are removed from from russia's mentality and from. russia's documents well first of all

i repeat those words but they don't i don't claim copyright because there's and was used by the sec regional and frankly by all the leaders on the nato russian council in lisbon and indeed that's that's written but it's also meant in a full sense not only we don't consider the each other as enemies but a we striving towards strategic partnership and secondly we frankly don't really consider ourselves a problem because we do have joint problems which we need to tackle as far as the military doctrine that you mentioned well it was published it was agreed before the lisbon summit so we certainly hope that night and none of the nato policies and certainly not later such is considered a threat because because we're not we're not afraid to russia and we we sure that that is exactly as we should see each other ok in january russia's chief of general staff for the first time he took part in

a joint session of the ratio russian i took counsel one of the any breakthrough decisions taken at that meeting while he was the first session this year but of course we had those meetings before and they are important because overall the military operation is very important. decisions which were taken at that meeting are important essentially there are about a military operation what problem program for this year and the difference between for example this year's program and the one philosophy is that we have new areas and these are theater missile defense which is indeed what was agreed in lisbon that we would come back to the cooperation we had in that area and secondly there's going to be an interesting cooperation i think interesting for everybody concerned involving military academies essentially you know opportunities for military experts to talk about doctrines to talk about long term issues how we essentially.

see the world and how does it translate into the minute education so it was certainly a meaningful meeting of course it started on a solemn note because of course it happened the meeting took place just after the tragic attack on the monday eleven allies expressed full solidarity of course condemn that terrorist act. well here of course remember that in lisbon president medvedev made made a speech in which he came up to the so-called sexual anti-missile defense proposal to practically reject it's so is it's. finished i mean were they there be further negotiations on this proposal or. the russian side should come up with something something you well i mean lisbon apart from being a historic meeting from a political body view as to a lot of decisions perhaps some of the most important ones were precisely on the issue of the cooperation missile defense of yet missile defense cooperation but

also we have agreed and we started implementing this that we would work hard together to discuss legacy aid should use to come up with the best ways of using the potential which exists in russia and in nato concerning missile defense protection and this is exactly what's happening so we're not in the business of rejecting and if we're not in the business of you know. being critical towards each other we are trying to work out the best ways we have presented our initial vision which is that of the two independent systems and there are some reasons why we we think that is the best way forward at this stage but working together and you know this is what our experts are working on this is what our political decision makers are discussing and i think june was chosen are the time when an initial report will be put on. i have

a quote from russian president here goes it's either we come to an agreement on certain terms and make a comparable system to solve the tasks of this on defense or we don't and in this case we will have to make a number of and pleasant decisions in the nearest future dealing with deployment of the strike nuclear missile group and quit what was nato's reaction because this sounds like a wording is it. well in my mind we will certainly not looking forward to any unpleasant decisions on the contrary we are looking forward to the solutions which would enable us to do something which has never been done before in the history of nato russia relations which is to create an arrangement which would serve for common protection of our citizens and their release from the fret which certainly exists of ballistic missiles so we are at the beginning of this world so frankly speaking we are very much optimist when it comes to nato or nato leadership allies

like regional that we will certainly find ways to work out such arrangements that would enable us to pull together their resources the capabilities that we have or are in the business of developing which is the case for instance and later we are just starting to developing that nato missile defense system to do nato countries consider ratifying the treaty and conventional armed forces in europe any time soon i mean because because this may be very useful in building up trust between the two parties well. see if he is one of those issues that we think is of great importance it's often been called a cornerstone of european security texture and would certainly like the new modified treaty to be fully into force. and i think at the moment the situation is however that it's actually the russian federation that has suspended its.

implementation and there are various discussions taking place in vienna and also the nato russia council as it is a place where this discussions can take place and we hope very much that we can work out together ok well let's get back to lisbon that this poor lisbon declaration confirms that nature's daus i quote remain wide open for all european democracies well i think this is. one of the quotes for from nato papers that makes people in russia want to well start talking again about possible russia's membership in nato well this this for me has always sounded strange when well maybe i'm a product of the cold war this well i remember this time so so so i don't think this may ever happen in our lifetime at least the did do you think this is something to think about at least for the for the future may this never happen what

would you say the question of and in potential interest in applying for membership of course has to be put to the country itself because you know we've never been we are not and we will not be in a business in the future as well of sort of love being in a country this as significant decisions and of the country feels that it's it's capable is interested and i said can share what is often called the back heat of nato then of cause you know such an issue but at the moment to our best knowledge there are no such. no such plan sort of speaking in russia and that's what we heard also from the russian leadership so it's it's an open question but at this stage it's not an agenda because we are not aware of any any serious plans on the part of russia to apply but rather do you think though the united states will ever allow russia to become part of the allies because i think if russia becomes part of the alliance well what's the point of had. the allowance well it makes it only anti

chinese this is the only put up running running your business we're not the nation we're not and i mean we are anti terrorism reality you know different security challenge i'm not anti any country but well that's perhaps a slightly in my stance i remember one of the criticism mr rasmussen robeson was once asked a question to speculate precisely maybe a similar question maybe some other and he said if i knew what would be happening in his five ten years i'd be playing in a stock exchange so of course but the truth i mean speaking really seriously is that you know it's a serious issue of any country's choice of the security orientation and therefore so it would be inappropriate to speculate but the most important thing is we have the makings we have the structure which is a really joint baby it's it's our it's a common creation that we put together with russia and let's make the best use of it it's has great potential in so many areas which are important for the security

of our citizens you know in moscow in washington in warsaw in berlin places so that's that's really what we should and i think that's what we are concentrating on well you are completely rebuilt because i have also i have always thought that that mechanisms like the russian nato council like. the similar going with other nato countries may be more useful even then then joining the. the body don't you think partnership overall i mean and lisbon was very clear on this are if you like a growing business and a great business of interest and importance for nato we hardly do anything if you my point on our own where we have gone is downwards fighting and you know cyber attacks pirates and so on we work with other bennies asians will work with other countries so that is really you know the name of the game and partnership including russia absolutely fundamental for that says robert should tell director of. the

nato information office and last spotlight will be back shortly will continue this interview in less than a minute after we take a break so don't go they will you. discover it. communicate with the why don't. test yourself and become free. see what nature can give you. this is not a theatrical set. this is a real correctional facility. is there any cultural life behind bars.

could transform a criminal into a lure abiding citizen. and can performance really revolutionized the penitentiary system. prison on a hearty. welcome back to spotlight on al gore and often just a reminder that my guest in the studio today is robert style director of the nato information office in moscow we're talking about nato russia cough ration. well one of the fields of cop ration between between nato and russia between nato military and russian military is ganna stack this is this is a big pain for russia and a big problem for nato to. nato especially the americans have been accused of even

promoting drug dealer ship in afghanistan and he of course saw that in russian papers well you said in one of your interviews i quote nature's role in afghanistan is to support the security of afghan institutions it's a very difficult task you say for example if we destroy the poppy fields the ranks of taliban will grow because the people will lose their earnings and quote you really said that well i said of course in accounting that it this can't be the consequences of you know destroying the crops which are trying to help them intelligence for providing security we training by the way we're training counter-narcotics experts from afghanistan and actually countries in the region together russia including demolition of bali but these are serious decisions and the best placed decisions of the people to make them are the afghan authorities themselves so even dating this is the right way to go we will support them but it's

not really strictly speaking the job or made of the ground relegating it's because yes it's complex and he has many consequences and we have to work together it's not a job just for nato but for our going station and set it up in some cells and we need to help them this but. the thing i've always worried me is that do hear opinions realise that that the drugs produced in afghanistan they appear on the streets on the streets of european cities pratley like in a couple of days you're right i mean let's be honest it's a big business and it's an international business and this is terrible things they end up on the streets of moscow they end up on the streets of berlin of moderate and so on it's true and we are aware of this but you know again there is a link between security and development there is a link between konami potential economic situation. the real possibilities which

exist for people and actually our successes or the lack of them in in fighting the terrorists the taliban's who very often by the way cooperate with drugs or so it is a it's an it's an accessory before the solution to this whole so has to be a multifaceted one and we are trying to play our part we understand the russian preoccupations there's again i repeat that's what we call break down or even i don't even think that. the world cares but i think it's true that the number of kids killed by afghan drugs is much higher than the number of soldiers killed by the taliban and the terrorists what's certain is that this is high and we have no i mean we have no illusions and it's a serious problem but again if we are successful and we have to be involved in government is successful in at the same time that's the tricky part tackling the security problems when we became engaged i'm getting is that we we found the

situation that the only people who stood between the traffic the traffic of narcotics that's a lot of mafias were let's say two policeman with kalashnikov and not in a bad shape bicycle so you know afghans need to need to be held way to national community to be able to fight this problem but it's a complex one russia more than once declared that the that russia is ready to help the alliance in afghanistan coping situation against that but i've heard that. brussels today is counting on russia to help them build the notion of going out of the as a pretext to leaving afghanistan is a true is nato is nato considering russia one of the means to to help build the international of the armed forces we are. sending training. very

important yes i mean training training i mean a show. of jews what happens is it exactly. as we say and they bring down guns to deal with the security problems well the trophies and yes i mean good training well trained afghan security police forces are the ticket so to speak to altimetry it asked the international community because you know during my forty eight countries who are engaged in ice or being able to transit to to hand over the responsibility for all of that is happening and we have important decisions behind is in lisbon which means that the transition state should start even the spring so russia can also play a role and we've been discussing various issues related to helicopters for example perhaps through training to oil and also provision of maintenance and so on a ship is already sent the helicopter i think yes is it russian helicopters are in use in afghanistan and they each go here and you say russian helicopters are in use

it means we directly send them or somebody or some of them let's say they're already there because i'm going army had them they are very useful and there is there is a trust fund that we want to establish. which would enable not just the use of these helicopters but maintenance there are some discussions going on right now about the financing which of course is an important issue but we do have high hopes because that would be a major contribution well you mentioned did have already twice in the sense you mean the terrorist attack in the rich moscow's domodedovo airport and in a recent interview you said that meeting in brussels nato and russian military already discussed seriously thoroughly their corporations in order to prevent tragedies like the one we saw in denver divil airport how exactly can the parties help each other. in fighting in preventing terrorist it's well we've had cooperation on the rise against terrorists for many years and now many facets to it

you know actually trying to stabilize afghanistan is one obviously exchanging confidential intelligence information about terrorists that is happening but now also a very specific project something the one did i mention that you alluded to was the so-called standard standards which is actually for a number of years now been in gauge in the search for the right technology to allow our security forces to have a potential to detect explosive devices from a distance that could save lives and this project is russia russian scientists are one of the key participants in their project we hoping that perhaps even some simulations some some test trials could take place maybe in a space of a year or two so yes there are some very concrete ways in which we work and can do more frankly to be about speaking of speaking of cooperation between nato and russia or one of the common threats that we've both considered both moscow brussels

and invasion later nato country is nuclear proliferation we say against nuclear proliferation well but as far as i understand there is a major major difference between the russian approach and the alliance approach towards iran's nuclear program can you tell me the main difference in these two approaches. well when we have a certain really don't discuss specific countries when it's certainly not in public when it comes to evaluation of any potential that what i can confirm is that we nato considers for instance when talking about the ballistic. mr adds that there's about thirty countries who either have better technology that capacity or are very close to developing it having overall we have done a lot and i think we're going to do more joint analysis that's part of the work on missile defense cooperation russia now we may differ on some issues relations

but i don't think we differ on the overall assessment of the proliferation particularly of the of the ballistic missiles and of course what they can carry is a serious threat so we have to deal with that's the bottom line the rest of course is important there may be you know maybe there is need for discussion how best what are the optimal ways but i think on this issue we don't disagree but it's a specific countries we don't discuss in public ok. let's talk about in the field of possible complications cybercrime today the nato countries consider cyber crime one of the most important issues one of the dangerous issues to get to deal with is nato cooperating with russia i think not yet in fighting and one of the plants. well we first we have to if you like establish a more robust police are born because nato had been dealing with cyber defense

issues for years but to be very honest there were concentrated mainly on the military communication systems and it's following big well known events such as an historian that we dallas decided that we need also to focus on the frets to the public the sort of if you like to open. the open cyber cyber space systems because if you have the situation which. the banks sadly how you know can't operate if the government business cannot be done properly because you know the whole system is done that is actually a threat to security so i think russia shares our concern and you know we have been i say developing our policy and i think it's a matter of time and it is written if you like into the elements of the policy that we would would certainly work with the partners on tackling this international problem because it is an international problem and another interesting issue is the

exchange program first students candidates of military academies there is such a program and i think that this may be like the best way to help future artistry of the young generation of authors not to look at each other was suspicious this is a special do you think do you think this may be one of the keys to building new relations between russia and the alliance in the future by figure of spot on i mean having this is you know it's one of those issues that it's not even mathematics it's about chemistry. you know the more of our young military work together. we had had this cooperation before for instance in the balkans. ships work side inside to be able reasons in the. the end of the show about infighting piracy so we spoke about his earlier the new work plan military operation does include these

changes and also there is a big scope for bilateral cooperation too and frankly speaking the more young calls the military you know go and see each other worked together you know the less there will be a chance that they will look each other god forbid some sort of upon and so on or even enemy so i think that that certainly i hope very much is that it is an area which will have much more exchanges in the future thank you thank you very much for being with us and just a reminder that my guest in the studio today was robert child director of the nato information office in moscow. and that's it for now from all of us here will be back with more first on comments on what's going on in or outside russia until then saying r.t. and take. thank you. the

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violent unrest intensifies in egypt as supporters of a bottle of president hosni mubarak take to the streets of cairo for the first time to clash with guards who want to mount up to thirty years of rule egypt's neighbors and look eels closely as total continues to biology phase and they believe the history unfolds. u.s. president barack obama signed a new start media on sconce treaty meaning the deal between russia and america to reduce nuclear weapons will go live in just a. small screw was a retaliation. on an unfounded expulsion of a diplomat after dublin claimed russian televisions and made fake irish close calls put spy ring unmasked in the well. as chaos on street battles in egypt continue where i ask who the key players in the region are going to be also the current violence that all the else is in the i don't know show up next.

for the. we've got. the biggest issues get a human voice face to face with the news makers. welcome the show where if the real headlines with none of the mersey are going live to washington d.c. now we continue covering protests in egypt tonight and today it turns violent well discuss the changing sentiments in the region addle host a panel discussion to find out what the future for the country is and who the key players are we'll hear from lawrence wilkerson and tim sure rock next as the gun debate heats up in the u.s. we can't help but wonder is gun ownership becoming an obsession in this country.