国际英语新闻：NATO, Russia look forward to closer cooperation amid political differences

MOSCOW, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Russia and NATO all spoke in peaceful and confident tunes about bilateral relations during NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's one-day visit to Russia on Wednesday. Despite plenty of promising words exchanged, Russian experts believed real attitudes of Moscow and NATO to each other remained foggy behind the curtains, as long-time issues of disputes including those concerning Georgia remained.

FRESH START FROM LISBON

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday said his country 's relations with NATO have become "more productive and intensive. "

"This allows us to expand cooperation more attentively and to build a more solid security system in Europe and in the world," Medvedev told Fogh Rasmussen.

In response, NATO chief stressed that Lisbon summit slated for Nov. 19-20 should clearly convey such a signal to Russian people, as the West sees Russia not as an enemy, but as a partner of strategic importance.

"The Lisbon meeting will become a real opportunity to turn a new page, to bury the ghosts of the past, and boldly look into the future," said Fogh Rasmussen, while naming the meeting as "a fresh start" and a chance for "modernization" of mutual relations.

"The Lisbon summit will be our preliminary work that hopefully will later serve as a basis for making decisions on further cooperation in the future. It will be a very important, very positive step if we could agree to build our work in this way," said the NATO secretary general.