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Kremlin expects dialogue with NATO at level of permanent representatives

The Russia-NATO Council in Brussels is planned to take place after the NATO summit in Warsaw

MOSCOW, July 5. /TASS/. The Kremlin expects dialogue with NATO at the level of permanent representatives.

"Holding the Russia-NATO Council was discussed at the level of heads of missions, of permanent representatives. Such dialogue is expected," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.

"I don’t have any big details now," he added.

Peskov reminded that this topic was discussed last week during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Finland. "The Finnish president today formulated proposals at least on first steps aimed at strengthening trust, preventing conflicts. I already said that I agree with this. We will try to start dialogue with NATO at the summit in Brussels," Putin said then.

"We agree with the proposal of the Finnish president. Moreover, upon returning to Moscow, I will order the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Defense Ministry to put this issue on the agenda of the upcoming session of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels which is planned to take place after the NATO summit in Warsaw," the Russian leader said.

The NATO summit will be held in Warsaw on July 8-9.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference on Monday that NATO continues preparations for holding the NATO-Russia Council after the North Atlantic Alliance’s summit in Warsaw.

"We remain open to dialogue with Russia. The NATO-Russia Council has an important role to play as a forum for dialogue and information exchange, to reduce tensions and increase predictability," Stoltenberg said. "That is why we are talking with Russia to hold another meeting of the Council shortly after the Warsaw Summit. Where transparency and risk reduction should be an important topic," he added.

In April 2014, the North Atlantic Alliance halted practical cooperation between NATO and Russia including in the NRC amid the Ukrainian conflict and Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

The latest meeting of the NATO-Russia Council - the first in nearly two years - was held in Brussels on April 20.