Chairman of Russia's State Duma Gennady Seleznyov said here on Tuesday that Russia's cooperation with the United States and its allies against terrorism does not imply any change in Russia's opposition to NATO's eastward expansion.
He made the statement while meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian National Assembly.
Seleznyov said Russia doesn't have to be a member of NATO because of the partnership agreement signed with the organization and its geographical position.
As Russia will not jeopardize the security of the countries along the Baltic Sea, their membership is also unnecessary. Russiais unwilling to see NATO's troops stationed near its border, said Seleznyov.
Seleznyov also held talks with Hungarian President Madl Ferenc,President of the National Assembly Ader Janos, Economic Minister Matolcsy Gyorgy and Foreign Minister Martonyi Janos on Monday andTuesday.
Both sides said that the present international situation is favorable to the development of bilateral relations. The two countries' cooperation, especially in the economic and trade fields, still has large potential.
Seleznyov, who arrived here on Monday at the invitation of AderJanos, is a visiting official with the highest rank to Hungary in the past decade.
( Xinhua News Agency 10/31/2001)
