Miller backs closer cooperation between NATO and its eastern neighbors

During his first visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels, Prime Minister Leszek Miller said that Russia should have an influence on some decisions concerning the pact. "Nobody expects Poland to raise a new wall or an iron curtain on our eastern border. Poland should do its best to maintain good relations with our eastern neighbors, including a variety of cultural, economic and political ties," Miller said after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson. The idea of improving NATO's cooperation with Russia is supported by Great Britain, France, the USA and Italy. However, countries located closer to the Russian border, including Germany, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Hungary, have been less enthusiastic. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A5) A.Z.