WASHINGTON, April 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia was concerned about the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but willing to cooperate with the alliance to ensure global stability,the Russian defense minister said in an article published Wednesday in The New York Times.

    Sergei Ivanov said that through expansion "the alliance is gaining greater ability to control and monitor Russian territory" and Russia "cannot turn a blind eye as NATO's air and military bases get much closer to cities and defense complexes in European Russia."

    The minister, who was on a working visit to Washington, also expressed Russia's concern over the US plan to rearrange the military abroad, including in Europe.

    He criticized NATO for failing to take into account of Russia's worries.

    "Most worrisome was the NATO summit in Prague in 2002, during which the alliance gave itself approval to undertake military operations even outside the territory of the alliance's member nations, whenever it may be deemed necessary. Nowhere in the post-summit statement does it say that NATO would require a United Nations mandate for such actions."

    "I believe that the United Nations alone can authorize the use for military force across internationally recognized borders. Any NATO actions not approved by the United Nations should therefore be considered illegal -- including 'preventive wars' like that in Iraq," the official said.

    Nonetheless, Ivanov said the complex disagreements between Moscow and Brussels, and between Moscow and Washington, can only be settled through dialogue and mutual trust.

    "Despite differences that still exist between Russia and NATO, we want to cooperate with the alliance to ensure global security,"Ivanov said.

    NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer began his visit to Moscow on Wednesday and was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and lawmakers to increase cooperation with Russia.

    Reports said the talks would focus on Russia's concerns over NATO's enlargement and general prospects for Moscow's relations with the alliance in individual regions, Iraq and Kosovo in particular.

    Seven countries -- Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia -- formally joined the NATO in a ceremony held in Washington on March 29, bringing the total numberof the treaty organization's members from 19 to 26.

    Russia has all along expressed concerns over the NATO expansion,although the NATO has said it means no threat to Russia. Enditem