NATO future chief calls for better relations with Russia

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PARIS, July 20 (Itar-Tass) - NATO's next Secretary-General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen said in an interview with the French regional newspaper 'Midi
Libre' on Sunday that NATO was not directed against Russia. The full text
of Rasmussen's interview will be published on Monday.
"In my new capacity I am planning to improve relations between NATO
and Russia," Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
"Last month we agreed on the need to resume the activities of the
Russia-NATO Council," the future NATO chief went on to say.
He added that strategically NATO needed to cooperate with Russia,
especially in anti-terror efforts, given that Russia itself is very much
exposed to the terrorist threat.
"Russia shouldn't perceive NATO as an enemy. NATO is not directed
against Russia. We should bear in mind that NATO and Russia have common
security interests such as struggle against terrorism and proliferation of
nuclear weapons, Afghanistan and many other issues," Anders Fogh Rasmussen
stressed.
" I hope I will be able to visit Moscow soon," NATO's next
secretary-general said.


.Russian artists to boost troops morale at Russo-Chinese exercises.

THE TAONAN TRAINING BASE, China, July 20 (Itar-Tass) - Troops and
weapons are not the only things that will represent Russia at the 'Peace
Mission-2009' joint anti-terror exercise in China. Russia has sent
another powerful weapon. The Song and Dance Group of the Far Eastern
Military District will boost the morale of the Russian and Chinese
soldiers and officers.
Major Konstantin Mileshkin, the group's artistic director, told
Itar-Tass that his artists had arrived in the Chinese town of Baichen on
July 13 together with the Russian group of troops to entertain Russian and
Chinese servicemen.
He said that the plan of the ensemble's sojourn in China had been
fixed in a joint protocol signed at the Russian-Chinese consultations in
Khabarovsk.
Mileshkin said that the repertoire includes Chinese songs alongside
with Russian songs and dances.
"We will sing Chinese songs in the Chinese language. This will be
modern hits as well as songs popular in the past years such as partisan
and military songs," Mileshkin went on to say. "Dances that we will
perform for the Russian soldiers and officers will be both military and
folk Russian dances," he said.
The Russian dancers are to perform a modern choreographic dance with
the Russian tricolor 'Soldiers of Russia' and a 'Russian bloc', consisting
of Russian songs and dances. At the request of the Chinese side the
ensemble's choir will sing 'The Moscow nights'.
Mileshkin said that all the concerts would be given in a cultural
centre located in the territory of the Taonan Training Base outside
Baichen. The first concert - for the Russian and Chinese military - is
scheduled for July 22; a concert for civilians will be given on July 23.
"We will sing our famous song 'Katyusha' in Russian and Chinese
together with Chinese signers - four vocalists from each side," the
ensemble's artistic director said.
He said the artists were rehearsing for several hours every day.
According to Mileshkin, sergeants and warrant officers form 50% of the
Song and Dance Group of the Far Eastern Military District while the other
half is made up of civilian staff.


.Seven die and 30 wounded in road accident in Novosibirsk region.

KRASNOYARSK, the Siberia, July 20 (Itar-Tass) - Seven people died and
30 more were hurt in a road accident in the Novosibirsk region.
A source at the Siberian regional centre of the Russian Ministry of
Emergency Situations in Krasnoyarsk told Itar-Tass that a passenger bus
turned over near the Ordynskoye settlement, 103 kilometers away from
Novosibirsk, on Monday morning.
The cause of the bus accident is so far unknown.


.Armenia, European Union to expand ties.

YEREVAN, July 20 (Itar-Tass) --Armenia and the European Union will
discuss how to exapnd their cooperation. A European Union delegation,
comprising members of the European Commission as well as repressentativs
from a country that used to hold the EU rotating presidency and from a
country that is going to hold it in future, will arrive in the Armenian
capital for talks on Monday.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt will head the EU delegation.
The EU "trio" will meet Armenian President Serge Sargsyan and hold
talks with the Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan.
Armenia considers integration in European structures to be its foreign
policy priority. At present, Armenia is involved in the European Union's
Eastern Partnership Program.

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