U.S., Russia resume military relations

MOSCOW, July 6 (UPI) -- U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Russian Gen. Nikolai Makarov signed an agreement for the resumption of joint military activities, suspended since August 2008.

The framework sets conditions that raise military cooperation between the countries to a new level and deepen understanding between the armed forces, the White House said in a fact sheet about the agreement signed in Moscow Monday.

Under terms of the accord, the U.S. and Russian armed forces agreed in their work plan for 2009 to conduct nearly 20 exchanges and operational events before the end of the year. Some of the activities include a strategic discussion between the U.S. Joint Chiefs Staff and the Russian General Staff, orientation for Russian military cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and joint exercises on responding to a hijacked aircraft in national and international airspace.

Mullen and Makarov are chiefs of their respective countries' joint chiefs of staff.