29 September 1997
(NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council gets to work) (350) New York -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright remarked at a stake-out following the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council meeting September 26 that "there was very much the sense of getting down to work. The next meeting has been set for December 17th in Brussels. A working group has been established. There was discussion of how to cooperate in a variety of areas.... It went very well. We're very, very pleased." Following is a transcript of her remarks: (Begin transcript) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman (New York, New York) September 26, 1997 REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT AT STAKE-OUT FOLLOWING NATO-RUSSIA PERMANENT JOINT COUNCIL MEETING United Nations SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think this was, as everybody said this morning, a truly historic meeting that many people thought would not happen. And not only did it happen, but it was one in which there was great engagement in the new subjects being discussed, a great sense of the fact that we were embarked on a new journey of undivided Europe where countries that had been on different sides throughout the century, actually, were cooperating and working towards the future. But even more than the high-flown words, which were all very well-chosen, there was very much the sense of getting down to work. The next meeting has been set for December 17th in Brussels. A working group has been established. There was discussion of how to cooperate in a variety of areas. So while it was a very engaging and exciting meeting, it was also a very businesslike meeting. It went very well. We're very, very pleased. Q: (Inaudible) SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that there is an increasing sense that we are all engaged in a new era, and that we are going to put past Cold War disagreements behind us -- and a lot of discussion of the future. I think it was a good meeting in that regard, very much so. Thank you. (End transcript)