Russia sets conditions to NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia intensified pressure on NATO to call off planned military drills in Georgia yesterday, saying it would cancel forthcoming high-level talks with the US-led alliance if the exercises went ahead.



Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's NATO envoy, said the military maneuvers in Georgia, a former Soviet country that aspires to NATO membership, were a "provocation".



"If there is no reaction [to Russia's complaint], we will take certain steps. I can already reveal one of these. The Russia-NATO meeting of general heads of staff planned for May 7 will not take place," he told Russia's Vesti-24 television channel.



Moscow sees the NATO exercises, to be held at an infantry base outside Tbilisi from May 6 to June 1, as a sign of support for Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia, FT reported.