NATO chief hopes for hand from Russia

On his first trip to Russia as NATO's new chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen is trying to rebuild trust with Russia and to garner support from Moscow to help NATO with the current dire situation in Afghanistan, Chinese experts said.

Although analysts described NATO's search for support for its troubled operation in Afghanistan as likely to top the agenda, Moscow's 2008 war in Georgia and the joint NATO-Georgia drill in May have dampened the prospect of Rasmussen's Russia visit.

Quick and substantial short-term progress are out of question from Rasmussen's meetings with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, which are scheduled today.