Moscow received an official invitation to a forthcoming NATO summit in Lisbon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russia 1 tv-channel.
"We have received an invitation for Russian top leaders to visit the Alliance's summit in Lisbon," Lavrov said. "[We] are preparing a report to the president [Medvedev]. In the framework of NATO-Russia Council answering questions from my colleagues, I frankly explained, what we base on, what guidelines we have," he continued.
NATO emphasized important things such as a need to increase cooperation in practical issues as Afghanistan, a fight against drug trafficking and terrorism, missile defense, Lavrov said.
On September 16, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen proposed to hold Russia-NATO Council summit during the Lisbon meeting of NATO country leaders.
Western media reported earlier this month that NATO had invited Russia to attend the organization's summit in Lisbon a bid to enhance cooperation on security issues, including Afghanistan and Iran.
NATO diplomats were quoted as saying they were waiting for a response from Moscow, but Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia had not yet received an official invitation.
The Russian mission to NATO has received an official invitation for President Dmitry Medvedev to attend a NATO summit in November, envoy Dmitry Rogozin said earlier this month.
Earlier Lavrov and Rasmussen discussed bilateral cooperation in the course of a telephone conversation.
The discussion included the forthcoming informal Russia-NATO Council session at the level of foreign ministers due to take place on September 22 in New York.
MOSCOW, September 25 (RIA Novosti)
