BUCHAREST, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The relations with Russia will be a very important topic, along with topics such as the cooperation with the European Union (EU) and the ongoing modernization of the Alliance, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.
Stoltenberg made the remarks at the 63rd annual plenary session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly taking place in Bucharest.
He said NATO doesn't want to isolate Russia and doesn't wish for a "new Cold War," despite members' concerns about Russia's military actions close to NATO's borders.
The NATO chief said in his speech that preparations have commenced for the next NATO Summit to be held in Brussels next year, and the Alliance will continue to build on the decisions made in Wales and Warsaw by increasing allied collective defense.
The NATO chief noted that all these actions are meant to prevent but not to produce conflicts, calling on Moscow to get involved in the international commitments.
The allied official voiced concern with Moscow's lack of transparency in connection with ZAPAD 2017, the Russian-Belarus military drills held in Belarus in September, which, according to him, highlights the need for a two-direction approach against Russia, combining solid defense with substantive dialogue, including within the NATO-Russia Council.
He reaffirmed NATO's collective defence clause, stressing that military bloc is an alliance that keeps its promises.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in his turn that NATO is not seeking confrontation and is not a threat to Russia, but "a comprehensive and coherent long-term allied strategy is needed" in the relation with Russia, that must include dialogue but from "a strong defense and deterrence position."
According to him, the advanced presence on the eastern Flank must be reinforced, especially in the south, at the Black Sea, in all its dimensions.
NATO Parliamentary Assembly gathered in Bucharest, from Friday through Monday, with over 50 national delegations.
It is the third time for Romania to host the Assembly.
Among the topics approached at the session, there are the support for NATO's actions in Afghanistan, the closer NATO-EU cooperation, the stability and security in the Black Sea area, the risks of the instability in Eastern Asia, and the humanitarian crisis in Syria and Iraq.
