BRUSSELS, September 17 (RIA Novosti) - NATO...

The officials are expected to discuss further steps to restore relations between Russia and NATO in the light of the forthcoming bilateral meeting between Rasmussen and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov within the framework of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Ties between Moscow and the Western military bloc were frozen after last August"s war with Georgia.

NATO and the West condemned Russia"s "excessive" use of force against Georgia and its recognition of two breakaway regions. Moscow, long concerned about the bloc"s ongoing expansion, accused NATO of nurturing Georgian aggression.

Russia and the West have since made moves to mend their relations.

Rasmussen, a former Danish prime minister, who took office on August 1, vowed to make cooperation with Moscow a top priority.

Rogozin and Rasmussen held a working meeting on August 11 in Brussels. The secretary general of the alliance reaffirmed at the meeting his commitment to ending

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