A working group on Afghanistan may be set up under the NATO-Russia Council. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stated this in an interview with “EurasiaNet”. The new body will be the basis where NATO and Russia will discuss Afghan issues, he said.

According to the NATO Secretary General, NATO and Russia study the possibility of concluding an agreement on the supply of Russian-made helicopters to the Afghan army and on rendering other assistance. Russia, on its part, will be granted the right to vote in issues linked to the formation of an international security strategy concerning Afghanistan.

The NATO Secretary General said he had made attempts to make cooperation with the RF in security issues of Afghanistan “a corner stone” in the partnership for this year during his recent visit to Moscow. For example, he urged the Russian Federation to supply the Afghan military with helicopters and spare parts for them, and train pilots for them.

The Russian authorities, according to Rasmussen, showed no enthusiasm to the proposals by the NATO Secretary General, but at the same time, they urged him to give the Collective Security Treaty Organization a say in forming the afghan security strategy. “For one, they urged NATO to discuss the aspects of Afghan security directly with the CSTO rather than at bilateral consultations with the Central Asian countries,” Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

At the same time NATO Secretary General made it clear that NATO and CSTO would hardly establish official relations in the near future.

Rasmussen expressed hope for promoting cooperation in cargo transport to Afghanistan through the Russian territory and by introducing additional air routes.

Commenting on the operation launched by Afghan and foreign forces in Helmand, Rasmussen described it as “great success”.