(AP) — The head of the panel crafting a new mission statement for NATO says Russia has no reason to fear the alliance's eastward expansion.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was tasked last year to lead the panel drafting a new mission statement, told a gathering of defense officials Sunday Russia has nothing to fear from NATO.

She says "NATO was an alliance against the Soviet Union, now the Soviet Union does not exist. NATO is a new alliance, it is not against Russia, it is an alliance that welcomes countries that want to join it."

Russia's relations with NATO have been tense for years over the alliance's eastward expansion and the ambitions of Ukraine and Georgia to join.

NATO's current mission statement was written in 1999.

President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.  Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez

Inside look at NUMC's aging infrastructure President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.

President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.  Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez

Inside look at NUMC's aging infrastructure President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.

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