For the first time in the history of relations between the two countries, Russia has appointed a defence attache to Ireland.
Maj Gen Vyacheslav Glagolev took up his post yesterday after a meeting with the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, and hosted a reception in the Russian embassy in Dublin.
Maj Gen Glagolev, who comes from the Urals region of Russia, trained originally as an artillery officer before entering the Soviet air force.
He is a former assistant air attache in Washington, where he served from 1978 to 1981, when he returned from Moscow to complete his doctorate at the General Staff College.
From 1988 to 1992 he was defence navy and air attache in Mozambique and moved to London as defence and air attache last year. He will continue to be based in London during his accreditation to Ireland.
Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Maj Gen Glagolev said he saw his role in Ireland as developing a relationship with the military establishment here. His contacts and meetings would, he said, involve discussions on peacekeeping activities, in which Ireland had a great deal of experience, and he foresaw co-operation between Ireland and Russia in the field of specialist training.
"The next step in our military relationship will be the arrival in Shannon on December 13th of Gen Anatoly Kvashnin, the chief of the Russian general staff, who is returning to Moscow after visits to Japan, United States and Cuba. In the course of his Shannon stop-over, Gen Kvashnin will meet the Chief-of-Staff, Lieut Gen David Stapleton. Russian is a major arms producer, and exports in this area make a major contribution to the economy.
Asked if he would be involved in arms sales to Ireland, Maj Gen Glagolev said: "If the Irish side expresses interest in acquiring some weapons, the matter will obviously be discussed. But this is a very early stage in our military relations and the main mission at this stage is to ensure that these relations develop and improve."
