The German government views with great interest a plan sketched out by Russian President Dimitry Medvedev to hold a conference on European security, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.
Medvedev made the proposal in a foreign policy address to the German-Russian Forum in Berlin Thursday during his first visit to Germany since taking office a month ago, reported dpa.
"We listened with great interest to the speech," Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said.
He noted in particular Medvedev's proposal "of a Europe-wide conference to look into a security treaty or possibly even to agree one."
Germany would explore in further talks with "our Russian partners" the concrete ideas Medvedev had in mind, Jaeger said.
He rejected interpretations in some of the German press that Medvedev's speech, his first major foray into the foreign policy arena, could be seen as an attack on NATO.
The new Russian president was well aware of the security setup in Europe, Jaeger said.
In his speech, Medvedev outlined a legally binding document on European security, possibly along the lines of the UN Charta.
He also urged NATO not to pursue eastward expansion to the Russian borders, repeating Russian objections to NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine.
"I am convinced that our relationship with the alliance would then be harmed in the long term," Medvedev said.
