Answering the question what steps Russia plans to make in the Kaliningrad region (Russia's exclave on the Baltic Sea) in connection with problems of transit and "NATO encirclement" of this territory, Mr. Ivanov said: "We do not plan to increase the military contingent in the Kaliningrad region; as for transit issues, we intend to resolve them by means of negotiations." "Four NATO planes in a Baltic state [the F16 squadron has been stationed in Lithuania since May 2004] is not a reason to increase the contingent," said the Security Council secretary. He called on the Baltic states "not to create artificial obstacles on the way of cooperation."
"All these issues can be solved with political will. There's no need to introduce complicating elements into issues that have their solution," he emphasized.
Noting that Russia has governmental development programs for the Kaliningrad region, Mr. Ivanov said: "We welcome projects of the EU and neighboring countries; all that is good for Kaliningrad residents is useful for the whole country."
"Europe would like to consider Kaliningrad a model of our cooperation; from our point of view, it is a bridge that could serve our cooperation and not confrontation," Mr. Ivanov said.
