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WorldView

NATO's Secretary-General and Russian Acting President Meet in Moscow

Aired February 16, 2000 - 6:05 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: In Chechnya Wednesday, Russian artillery and warplanes pounded rebel positions in the mountains south of the capital, Grozny. Russian officials say the shelling is aimed at weakening the rebels before a full-scale offensive is launched. Meantime, 13 elderly ethnic Russians have arrived in neighboring Ingushetia after spending almost 100 days trapped in cellars during the battle for Grozny.

The war in Chechnya has been one of several issues dividing Russia and NATO during the past year. Now, the two are moving to improve ties.

CNN's Matthew Chance has the story from Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An apparent thaw in relations between Russia and NATO as the secretary general of the alliance sat down with Russia's acting president, Vladimir Putin, to discuss bolstering ties. Kremlin officials say it was an important step away from the hostility and confrontation that has characterized recent months.

IGOR IVANOV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We discussed relations between Russia and NATO. We decided that we will resume contact between NATO and Russia. We regard each other as important strategic partners interested in providing security on the European continent and in the world as a whole.

CHANCE: It was a day of intensive meetings for the NATO secretary-general and top Russian officials: the highest-level talks since relations were frozen at the start of NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia last year. That military operation against a Russian ally provoked a furious response from Moscow. There have also been strains over NATO plans to expand into Eastern Europe, formerly the preserve of the Soviet Union.

More recently, Russia's war in Chechnya has prompted international outrage and repeated accusations from NATO that Russia is using excessive force.

GEORGE ROBERTSON, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: NATO will continue to be critical about what the Russians are doing in Chechnya, not just on the basis of principle, but because we disagree with the disproportionate violence and the civilian casualties who are being affected. But we think that they are simply storing up more problems for the future. And we will continue to be frank with them about that and to give them advice as to how (UNINTELLIGIBLE) should be resolved.

CHANCE: But a joint statement issued after the visit dwelled more on brining Russia and NATO closer together on security issues. Officials say Chechnya was discussed, but it appears the Russian conflict was not the main focus of these talks.

(on camera): Officials here at the Kremlin say the fact NATO's secretary-general was welcomed in Moscow does not mean they'll bend on Chechnya or on any other area of dispute with the military alliance. But at least high-level contacts have resumed with NATO even if there remains strong potential for future disagreement.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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