Former foes sign historic deal to bury Cold War

Nato and Russia sealed an historic reconciliation yesterday designed to bury the legacy of the Cold War, with pledges that the former enemies will work together on counter- terrorism and missile defence.

The agreement, signed at an Italian air force base near Rome, opens the way for Moscow to work with its old adversary on an equal basis.

The centrepiece of the accord is an agreement to follow up the support provided by Russia to Washington last year in its military response to the attacks on 11 September.

At the signing ceremony, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, likened the struggle against terrorism to the Second World War, while the American President, George Bush, said: "Two former foes are now joined as partners, overcoming 40 years of division and a decade of uncertainty."

The two sides will use Nato to discuss arms control, search and rescue at sea, civil emergencies, and plans on missile defence, including Washington's plans for a "Son of Star Wars" programme and Russia's proposals based on its range of S300 and S400 missiles.

With a flypast by the Italian air force and a ceremony staged in a mock-up of an amphitheatre, yesterday's event had the personal imprimatur of the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who hosted the summit. There were some diplomatic embarrassments and reminders of the difficulties that lie ahead. As the summit began, the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, was forced to withdraw an article, due to be published next week, that linked Mr Berlus-coni with far-right European politicians.

"We must not let Europe fall into the hands of people like Berlusconi, [Jörg] Haider [of the Austrian Freedom Party] or [Jean-Marie] Le Pen [leader of the French National Front]," the text said before the controversial line was deleted.

During the proceedings Tony Blair reminded his 18 fellow Nato leaders and Mr Putin of previous false dawns in Nato's relations with Russia. Five years ago the two sides agreed to set up a body called the Permanent Joint Council (PJC), which failed to yield concrete results. Mr Blair said there was "a lot to do to give substance to the vision".

Under the new plan, Russia will be given an equal say in decisions, putting it in a better position than it had in the PJC, where Nato would vote on issues beforehand and, it said, present it with a fait accompli.

In the seating plan, Russia is now placed alphabetically between Portugal and Spain.

Despite the firm expressions of political will from Presidents Bush and Putin, however, there are fears that diplomats and military officials will find it hard to overcome the habits of a lifetime and co-operate.

Russia has still not withdrawn its objections to the enlargement of Nato, which is expected to accept up to seven more countries at a summit in Prague in November. But Colin Powell, the American Secretary of State, said Russia "cannot have a veto over who becomes a member".

Meanwhile, there were new indications of Nato's intentionto forge a wider role for itself after it was largely sidelined by the US response to 11 September. Yesterday it signalled its willingness to extend its interests beyond the Euro-Atlantic area by which it has been bound. On behalf of Russia and the alliance, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, the Nato secretary general, called on India and Pakistan to back down from the brink of armed confrontation.

"All the heads of state and government here today are committed, and commit themselves, to doing whatever is necessary to maintain peace" on the sub-continent, Lord Robertson said.