Robertson: Deal will promote stability

"There is no issue more important to the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area than the further development of a confident and co-operative relationship between us," Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson told Mr Ivanov.

The struggle against terrorism, arms control and nuclear non-proliferation are regarded as key areas for co-operation.

But Nato leaders have emphasised that Russia will not have a veto over alliance decisions.

"Nato at 19 will retain its prerogative to act independently on any issue," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Thursday.

The name of the new council has not been fixed, but officials are informally referring to the planned collaboration with Russia as "Nato at 20".

Membership ruled out

Nato ministers have ordered a working group to come up with ideas on how the new council would work.

The question is about developing a mechanism for working out and adopting joint decisions in keeping with the times

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov

One proposal is to bring Russia in at the very beginning of discussions on certain issues. If they are unable to reach agreement at 20, they can meet at 19.

"We'll try to do a great deal at 20, but Nato works at 19 and will continue to do so," said UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw.

Mr Ivanov said on Friday that the question was how to develop "a mechanism for working out and adopting joint decisions in keeping with the times."

Since 1997, meetings have been held under something called the Nato-Russia Permanent Joint Council, but both sides say it has never been satisfactory.

Possible joint decision areas

Anti-terrorism Crisis management Nuclear non-proliferation Arms control Theatre missile defence Search and rescue at sea Civil emergencies

Originally created to ease Moscow's fears about Nato enlargement, it has often served as a forum for the alliance to inform Russia of decisions it already has taken.

Mr Ivanov underlined that Russia had no plans to join the queue for Nato membership.

Nato's plan is to have the new council in place by the time of next meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Reykjavik in May.

Enlargement concerns

The UK had proposed inaugurating the new council now, and committing Nato to running a wide range of tasks, including peacekeeping, with Russia as an equal partner.

However, diplomats said there was last-minute resistance from the US, as well as former Warsaw Pact countries Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

France and the Netherlands are also reported to have been cool about the UK proposals.

The BBC's Oana Lungescu says that the worry is that, once Russia gets enhanced status it will push for a greater say in other areas too, in particular regarding plans for further expansion.

The Reykjavik meeting will be an important point in the enlargement process, when foreign ministers will start weighing up the progress made by each applicant.

Earlier this week, the commander of Russia's Baltic Fleet warned that the entry of the Baltic republics into Nato would still be perceived as a significant threat by Moscow.

However, the Kremlin itself has said that Nato expansion is not a problem if a truly co-operative relationship can be achieved.