BRUSSELS — When I gave my first public speech as NATO secretary general just over a year ago, I focused on the NATO-Russia relationship, because I believe it is crucial for global, not just European, security. At that time, I thought the relationship to be in urgent need of repair, and that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Russia should make a "new beginning."

So I made several specific proposals for laying the foundation of a far more productive future relationship. A year on, how do we measure up? We have, first of all, reinforced our practical cooperation in a range of areas:

Fighting terrorism. Because terrorism is a transnational scourge, we can defeat it only if we work together. NATO countries and Russia have agreed on a joint assessment of terrorist threats, and are already making considerable progress on a number of concrete projects. We are working together, for example, to counter the threat of attacks on mass transport and other public gathering places.