U.S., Western Allies Urge Russia to Cooperate Militarily, Open Dialogue : Europe: NATO sees sound relations as ‘a key element for security and stability.’ But invitation falls short of Moscow’s demands for wider role.

As part of their efforts to build a new, post-Cold War relationship with Moscow, the United States and its European allies Thursday urged Russia to immediately join a program of military cooperation and begin an extensive political dialogue with NATO.

“Good, cooperative relations between NATO and Russia will be a key element for security and stability in Europe,” stated a communique issued after a meeting here of the foreign ministers from the 16-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

But the foreign ministers stopped far short of Moscow’s demand for a formal consultative role in Western Alliance affairs--something that many believe would have dangerous implications, including opening the door to de facto Russian veto powers.

Moscow has already declared that it wants to participate in the military cooperation program, known as “Partnership for Peace.” The program offers such things as joint maneuvers, closer high- and mid-level contact and technical assistance in weapons development and procurement.

Since it was launched earlier this year, 20 non-NATO nations, including most of Moscow’s onetime Communist allies, have joined.

But partly because of Russia’s desire to gain a degree of influence over NATO decision-making and partly because of internal domestic pressures from conservative hard-liners, Moscow has demanded special treatment as the price of involvement.

Last month, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Russian Defense Minister Pavel S. Grachev talked of the need for a broad dialogue with the alliance on European issues from nuclear non-proliferation to the environment. Other Russian officials have subsequently pressed NATO for a special protocol to formalize this dialogue.

Establishing a constructive working relationship with Moscow on security issues is considered one of the most important, yet difficult challenges currently facing the Western allies. They must create a link that does not alienate Russia again from the mainstream of European events.

At the same time, however, analysts say the relationship should not permit Moscow to bend events to its will, as it did after the Allies gave Stalin a free hand in Eastern Europe at the ill-fated Yalta Conference in early 1945.

In an attempt to ease concerns of the Central and Eastern European countries, which only five years ago were part of the Soviet empire, NATO Deputy Secretary General Sergio Balanzino rejected the idea that cooperation would lead to what he called “a Yalta II.”

Still, the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina has underscored that, despite its internal economic chaos and for all its domestic political turmoil, Russia remains a major power with considerable influence--even when its nuclear missiles are not at issue.

“It’s an urgent necessity to build the Russians into the European security system and fully clear that a power this size has to be handled differently than Iceland,” said German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel.

But Thursday’s communique, described by one senior U.S. official as NATO’s answer to Grachev, offered Moscow only an informal dialogue “in appropriate areas outside the Partnership for Peace,” and pointedly reaffirmed “NATO’s right to take its own decisions on its own responsibility by consensus of its members.”

At a news conference after Thursday’s meeting, Balanzino stressed the informality of the proposed political discussions. “Political consultations (with Russia) would be on a case-by-case basis on matters of mutual concern,” he said.

Balanzino said no details of the proposed consultations were discussed at Thursday’s meeting. But a British official close to the talks listed nuclear safety, counter-proliferation and nuclear cooperation policy as potential subjects.

At a news conference, British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd said the West’s military relations with Russia would be based on a simple formula: “No vetoes by Russia, no surprises sprung from the West and substantial cooperation.”

A NATO ultimatum in February to Bosnian Serb forces to withdraw from Sarajevo or be bombed surprised, angered and embarrassed Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin and temporarily complicated the West’s efforts to cooperate with Moscow to bring an end to the Bosnian war.

Russia’s initial reaction to the NATO offer could come almost immediately. Moscow’s foreign minister, Andrei V. Kozyrev, was scheduled to hold talks here Thursday night and today with Balanzino, and a Kozyrev meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher is scheduled for today.

Despite the lack of any offer of a formal political dialogue, Christopher urged Moscow to sign the Partnership for Peace agreement, describing it as, “the major strategic development in Europe since NATO was formed.”

Other officials said they hope the communique’s positive tone toward Moscow will make up for the lack of substance. “It is good, warm language, a positive signal that will allow Kozyrev and people like him to come to Brussels and sign,” a British official said. “We hope this will give him enough to say to those in Moscow, ‘The hand’s extended; let’s shake it.’ ”

Besides dealing with Russia, the NATO communique reaffirms the alliance commitments in Bosnia, including enforcing a “no-fly” zone over the former Yugoslav republic.

Times special correspondent Hugh Pope contributed to this report.