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Russia suggests checking maps of military forces in Europe

Lavrov also emphasized that although the NATO member-states "are not yet prepared for such a talk," positive trends can already been seen

MAUERBACH (Austria), July 11. /TASS/. Russia has called on its partners to check the maps of military facilities and forces in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after an informal ministerial meeting of the European security agency OSCE on Tuesday.

"We recalled our initiatives related to the implementation of the long-declared goal of creating a community of equal and indivisible security in the EuroAtlantic area and in Eurasia as well, as was agreed at the summit in Kazakhstan in 2010," Russia’s top diplomat said.

"As the first step, we suggest that we should sit down and see with the participation of the military and with maps on the tables who has what forces and resources in Europe, which military doctrines each of our countries has developed and how they are implemented to simply understand where we are and how to strengthen trust on the basis of transparency and openness," the Russian foreign minister said.

Lavrov also emphasized that although the NATO member countries "are not yet prepared for such a talk," "positive trends in their ranks" can already been seen.

"I hope this won’t take too much time to realize the need of such an honest, sincere and equitable dialogue," Russia’s top diplomat said.