Russia signed a landmark partnership accord with NATO on Wednesday, opening a "new chapter" in European history and ending months of bickering over its post-Cold War ties with the Western allies.
In a reflection of the broad cooperative atmosphere, Russia and the United States also announced Presidents Clinton and Boris Yeltsin would hold a summit in late September.The Partnership for Peace plan gives NATO a new role at a time when it no longer has an adversary.
The accord became official Wednesday when Russia's foreign minister, Andrei Kozyrev, signed it in the presence of his American counterpart, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The plan unites Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a relationship that during the Soviet era would have been unthinkable: joint military exercises, cooperation in peacekeeping and other shared activities.
Russia also will be able to open a delegation at NATO headquarters.
In a brief statement, Kozyrev said Russia was committed to seeking "cooperation rather than confrontation" with the NATO allies.
He said the accord would open "a new chapter" in European history after a half-century of Cold War divisions.
Christopher called the occasion a historic day.
"We are reaching out to Russia's government and its military to establish a new, more constructive relationship," Christopher told NATO's 16 ambassadors and Kozyrev.
Asked about the signing, Vice President Al Gore said in Washington, "We're seeing with the Partnership for Peace agreement a completely new attitude toward NATO and the West."