Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 28, 1994                   TAG: 9406280011
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM                                LENGTH: Medium

NATO, RUSSIA OPEN NEW CHAPTER

Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev spoke of a ``new chapter'' in European history as he enrolled his country in NATO's Partnership for Peace program following the example of 18 of Moscow's former Soviet-era allies.

It is a relationship unthinkable just years ago: a partnership in which Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will cooperate in joint military exercises and peacekeeping operations.

Russia also will be able to open a delegation at NATO headquarters.

Additionally, Russia and NATO launched a ``far-reaching'' relationship that goes beyond the partnership. In a declaration, the two said both ``have important contributions to make to European stability and security.''

Russia insisted on such a declaration to bolster its claim to superpower status and its contention that it merits more than a simple partnership with NATO. NATO was concerned not to stir fears among Eastern Europeans that Moscow would have too strong a say in the alliance's dealings with them.

The dispute was at the center of months of bickering between NATO and Russia over Moscow's post-Cold War ties with the Western allies.

The additional agreement, outlined in four days of talks between senior Russian and NATO officials, will not be signed or have formal status.

NATO has concluded partnership deals with 20 other nations, including 18 former Warsaw Pact nations and ex-Soviet republics, since the program was launched by President Clinton and other alliance leaders at a January summit.