Russia officially proposed on Tuesday hosting its first NATO-Russia Council meeting in 2011, NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said.

"I have handed the NATO secretary general an official letter confirming the Russian president's decision to receive one of the ambassadorial meetings of the Russia-NATO Council in Sochi," Rogozin said.

He said the meeting in question may be held in the second half of the year.

"What we propose holding is an ambassadorial-level meeting," Rogozin said. "The Russian president would be ready to receive the secretary general and Russia-NATO Council ambassadors for talks on urgent issues of interest to both the West and Russia, including missile defense."

A 2011 military cooperation plan was approved at the most recent Council meeting, which took place in Brussels in January.

BRUSSELS, March 1 (RIA Novosti)