MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti) - The Commonwealth of Independent States needs constructive cooperation in the military-political sphere with western countries, including NATO member states, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told Trud daily Saturday.
"I am convinced that this cooperation is not only possible but also necessary," he said. "Close cooperation, for instance, between the Collective Security Treaty Organization [CSTO - Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia] and NATO, would meet international security and counter-terrorism interests."
Karasin said NATO member states failed to work out a common approach on cooperation with the CSTO.
"It seems that the North Atlantic Alliance prefers to cooperate with CSTO member states on a bilateral basis," he said adding that this policy could not help promote military-political stability
He also said Russia did not oppose integration on the post-Soviet space with cooperation of some CIS member countries with the North-Atlantic Alliance.
Speaking about the striving of some CIS countries to join NATO, Karasin said it was their choice.
He also said Russia was interested in cooperation with the European Union and the United States on the post-Soviet space based "on mutual respect and acknowledgement of the existing realities."
According to Karasin, Russia needed transition to market relations with CIS countries.
"I believe the transition to world prices of energy carriers... will quickly improve both economic and political relations with our partners and neighbors," he said.
