Press Statement 17 Feb. 1999

Press Statement
NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council meeting at Ambassadorial level

The NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council (PJC) at Ambassadorial level met on Wednesday, 17 February 1999 at NATO Headquarters.

Ambassadors discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo. They stressed the importance of and expressed their full support for the ongoing peace talks at Rambouillet, and urged the parties to work responsibly and intensively in order to achieve an interim political agreement by Saturday 20 February.

NATO and Russia agreed to continue their close consultations in light of the ongoing negotiation process.

Ambassadors received a briefing on the meeting of military representatives under the auspices of the PJC held on 4 February 1999.

Following presentations by NATO and Russia, Ambassadors discussed strategy as part of their ongoing exchanges on strategy and defence policy, the military doctrines of NATO and Russia, and budgets and infrastructure development programmes.

The next meeting of the PJC is scheduled for 17 March 1999.