NATO hopes for better Russia ties despite tensions

By Nerijus Adomaitis

WARSAW (Reuters) - NATO hopes to repair troubled ties with Russia at a summit next month despite disagreements over security issues in central Europe and the Balkans, alliance Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Thursday.

NATO-Russia relations have been strained by U.S. plans to set up a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, recognition of Kosovo's independence and prospects for former Soviet republics, Georgia and Ukraine, to join the group.

"We want to deepen our cooperation and continue our dialogue. As far as NATO is concerned, there are really no red lines and no limits on how far our relationship with Russia can go," Scheffer told reporters during his stay in Warsaw.

Moscow has consistently opposed NATO expansion and deployment of parts of the missile shield in what used to be its sphere of influence, saying it threatens its national security.

But Scheffer said these differences should not hurt cooperation in countering terrorism or drug smuggling.

"I hope that President Putin would come to Bucharest with a similarly open mind and that he will be prepared together with his NATO colleagues to give the cooperation a political push again and much needed strategic quality," he said.

He declined to comment on the chances of Ukraine and Georgia getting a Membership Action Plan -- seen as first step to membership -- in Bucharest, but said NATO would "reach out" to aspiring countries such as Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He added the April 2-4 summit should also send a strong signal to Serbia. "There is no doubt in my mind that Serbia's long-term future lies in the Euro-Atlantic integration," Scheffer said.

"We must make clear to Belgrade and the people of Serbia that there is no viable future in the retreat into angry nationalism."

Serbia's coalition government collapsed earlier this month after Kosovo's EU-backed secession triggered political infighting in the former Yugoslavia. The May 11 election is expected to be a close race between democrats and nationalists.

(Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Dominic Evans)