GROUP " FOEDERALVERSAMMLUNG THE RF - PARLIAMENT MEETING OF NATO "
BECOMES IN BRUSSELS TAKING PLACE








MOSCOW, 5 March.  / RIA "Nowosti" Korr. /.  In Brussels NATO
headquarters on 5.-6 March the session of the bilateral working group
" Foederalversammlung of the Russian Foederaion Parlamentsversammlung
of NATO " will take place.  That is the first session of the working
group after the cooling of the relations between Russia and the NATO,
which were released by bombardments of Yugoslavia by the
Nordataltikallianz.

A delegation of delegates of the Staatsduma (House of Commons of the
parliament of the RF) leads the first vice-chairman Ljubow Sliska.

Before the Brussels journey the chief of the Staatsduma delegation
explained the journalist that an important meeting is approaching,
which is aimed at concrete results.  Russian parliamentarians have the
intention of developing above all the political component of the
relations between Russia and NATO.

The topic of the extension to the East of NATO is absolutely begun to
cut, indicated Ljubow Sliska.  We will bring the position in principle
of Russia to the parliamentarians of the NATO Mitgliedlaender to this
question to the knowledge, because the assertions of NATO
Secretary-General George Robertson after the return from its recent
Moscow trip over the readiness of Russia to make therein concessions
seem to me too optimistically, underlined them.

Ljubow Sliska also indicated that Russian parliamentarians will submit
a set of suggestions, which are directed toward the development of
co-operation between Russia and NATO during the meetings in NATO
headquarters.  Russia is ready to offer to NATO a not quite
traditional co-operation stressed the chief of the Staatsduma
delegation.

Alexander Gurow, chairman of the Staatsduma committee for security,
explained for his part that he has the intention of offering to the
colleagues in NATO co-operation in the fight against the smuggling of
arms and drug which come from central Asia to Europe after the " elbow
" Afghanistan Caucasus Bosnia.  In the case of strengthening the
positions of the Islamic extremists in these regions the drug and
weapon stream as well as the export of the terrorism to Europe will
strengthen, stressed Alexander Gurow.