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Paris hopes for another NATO-Russia Council meeting prior to Warsaw summit — FM

Another meeting is necessary as "there is a whole range of questions that interest both sides"

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Paris would like another meeting of the NATO-Russia Council to take place prior to the summit of the North Atlantic alliance in Warsaw, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Tuesday.

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"We are involved in preparation of the alliance’s summit in Warsaw," the minister said. "All has been done in order to preserve transparency between NATO and Russia. NATO presents no threat to Russia in any way."

"The NATO-Russia Council will hold a meeting at the level of ambassadors tomorrow," Ayrault recalled. "There are many questions. I would like a second meeting [of the NATO-Russia Council] to be organized prior to the Warsaw conference [NATO summit], because there are a whole range of questions that interest both sides."

"I think the fight against terrorism is a priority here. There also are other issues - nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, for example," he said. "I am convinced that we, thanks to dialogue, will be able to move forward for the benefit of mutual interests and for the benefit of security of all countries."

The NATO summit is expected to be held July 8-9.

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