BRUSSELS — When I gave my first public speech as NATO secretary general just over a year ago, I focused on the NATO-Russia relationship, because I believe it is crucial for global, not just European, security. At that time, I thought the relationship to be in urgent need of repair, and that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Russia should make a "new beginning."
So I made several specific proposals for laying the foundation of a far more productive future relationship. A year on, how do we measure up? We have, first of all, reinforced our practical cooperation in a range of areas:
• Fighting terrorism. Because terrorism is a transnational scourge, we can defeat it only if we work together. NATO countries and Russia have agreed on a joint assessment of terrorist threats, and are already making considerable progress on a number of concrete projects. We are working together, for example, to counter the threat of attacks on mass transport and other public gathering places.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.