NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during speech in Brussels, 18 Sep 2009NATO is proposing a new partnership with Russia, saying the two should work together on defense.

Speakingin Brussels Friday, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen calledfor a "joint review" of the security challenges of the 21st century,and said Russia should be a "real stakeholder" and "partner" inEuropean and international security.

Rasmussen said Russia, NATO, and the U.S. should look into linking missile defense systems "at an appropriate time."

Russia'sNATO envoy Dmitri Rogozin says Rasmussen's remarks are "very positiveand very constructive," and he says they should together analyze thevarious proposals.

Relations between Russia and Western Europewarmed after the communist government in Moscow fell.  But they grewtense again in the last year as Russia stepped up influence over formercommunist countries in Eastern Europe and sent its troops sweeping intoGeorgia.

The speech by Rasmussen signals a new approach to Russian-Western relations.

Whilepushing for a new relationship with Russia, he also urged Moscow tojoin the Western coalition in putting "maximum pressure" on Iran to endtheir nuclear aspirations.