The Russian and NATO top military officials...

The Russian and NATO chiefs of staff approved Tuesday a framework military cooperation treaty. A NATO official described it as "a very important step" toward the restoration of military ties between Russia and NATO frozen after a brief Russian-Georgian war in August 2008.

The Russia-NATO cooperation plan for the current year reportedly includes Russia"s support for the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan, specifically military transit via Russian airspace, as well as joint anti-piracy and antiterrorism efforts.

At Tuesday"s meeting that formally resumed the work of the Russia-NATO Council, Russia was represented by Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

NATO froze ties with Russia following a brief armed conflict with Georgia and the recognition by Moscow of Georgia"s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but relations have improved in recent months.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed

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