Lavrov: Russia, NATO agree Syrian conflict cannot be resolved by armed force

The comment comes just before NATO announces whether it will honor Turkey’s request to deploy patriot missiles along its border with Syria.

NATO says that any deployment will be for purely defensive purposes and will not support an offensive operation or no-fly zone. A decision from the 28-member alliance is expected later on Tuesday.

Moscow respects Turkey's right to self-defence

Moscow will not interfere with Turkey’s right to self-defence, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after the Russia- NATO Council meeting in Brussels.

He said that Russia did not object to the deployment of Patriot missiles close to the Syrian border but Russia believes that the danger should not be exaggerated.

NATO Secretary General Anders Vog Rasmussen declared that the deployment of Patriot missiles along the Turkish-Syrian border was carried out for entirely defensive purposes.

Lavrov also reported that Russia’s and NATO’s positions on the missile defence did not coincide. A correspondent of The Voice of Russia quoted Lavrov as saying that consultations would be held soon.

Russia, NATO to hold consultations on the missile defense - Lavrov

Approaches of Russia and NATO on problems of missile defense remain opposite, but the parties agreed to hold consultations on this issue, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov declared.

NATO hopes to build real strategic partnership with Russia - Rasmussen

NATO is hoping to build real strategic partnership with Russia in the coming years, the alliance’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said during a session of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels on Tuesday.

Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Voice of Russia correspondent Alexander Shishlo reports from Brussels.

The participants will approve a joint action plan for 2013. Russia has made clear it wants partnership with NATO to be based on the principles of the indivisibility of the Euro-Atlantic security, an approach shared by Rasmussen. He hailed cooperation with Russia on Afghanistan as well as on anti-terror and anti-drug struggle.

“We are moving in the right direction”, Rasmussen said.

Missile defense to be on agenda of Russia-NATO Council session

Russia’s stance on a possible interaction on missile defense will be presented during a session of the Russia-NATO Council scheduled for December 4 in Brussels.

A statement to this effect was made by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich in Moscow on Monday.

He recalled that Moscow wants clear-cut guarantees that the planned [US] missile shield will not damage Russia’s strategic potential.

He added that such guarantees should be based on objective criteria which will enable them to assess the missile defense system’s compliance with its announced aim of fending off missile threats from countries situated outside Europe.

Russia, NATO to have “frank dialogue” – official

The Foreign Ministers’ meetings which are due to take place in Brussels next week are to fill Russia-NATO relations with new energy, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told reporters in Brussels Friday.

Her speech was followed by a top-notch NATO official who said that on Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov and his counterparts will have a frank dialogue about such sensitive issues as Turkey’s deployment of Patriot missiles, Georgia and NATO anti-missile system.

The official has also welcomed Russia’s assistance in providing transit of NATO cargo to Afghanistan and efforts to fight terrorism and piracy.

Voice of Russia, Interfax, RT