On 27th November the NATO Defense College (NDC) inaugurated the Military Conference on NATO-Russia Council Cooperation Issues, attended by a delegation from the General Staff Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces (GSMA), NATO officials, researchers and journalists from NATO countries. This select group was made up of 40 high-level participants, representing a total of 15 nations.
The Russian delegation, led by GSMA Commandant Lieutenant General Andrei Vytalievich Tretiak (RUS-A), was escorted on arrival by a Guard of Honour from the Carabinieri Corps and given a warm welcome by NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Arne Bård Dalhaug (NOR-A). During a brief meeting in LtGen Dalhaug’s office, the GSMA Commandant also had the opportunity to meet NDC Dean Dr Richard Hooker (USA-C).
The delegation from the Russian Federation was then accompanied on a guided tour of the NDC premises, and introduced to the College’s history, mission, courses and related activities.
Following these introductory activities, Conference proceedings began with the opening remarks of both the NDC Commandant and the GSMA Commandant. The inaugural lecture, entitled “The Russian Perspective on Providing Strategic Stability”, was then given by Dr Sergei Chekinov, Head of the Strategic Research Institute of the Russian Federation.
Dr Chekinov’s lecture afforded participants a cogent and lucid insight into the Russian definition of strategic stability, and of how this is envisaged. Particular emphasis was placed on the political guidelines which currently underpin the process of threat assessment by the Russian Federation, as well on the importance given by Russia to the rule of international law. Extremely thought-provoking, the lecture provided an ideal prelude to a challenging Q&A session.
The explicit aim of these high-level conferences is to exchange views “on mutual strategic security issues, in order to broaden military-to-military cooperation with an emphasis on discussing the potential for practical cooperation”. They thus offer a fundamental contribution to the mission and effectiveness of the NATO-Russia Council. Given the NDC’s role as NATO’s premier academic institution, its substantial contribution to the success of this event is commensurate with the Alliance’s close attention to the importance of NATO-Russia relations.
LtCol. Alberto Alletto, Chief Public Affairs and Protocol Officer, ITA-A
NATO Defense College 
