Relations between the alliance and the Russian military were frozen in the aftermath of the five-day war last August. Although political ties have thawed considerably over the past five months, there have been no formal military contacts since then.
"I've come in an optimistic mood," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said ahead of a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his counterparts from NATO's 28 member nations on the Greek island of Corfu.
"I expect (the meeting) will be the restart of our relationship, that we can see where we can more intensively work together, not shying away from the differences of opinion that we have," the NATO leader said.
The talks are being held in the framework of the NATO-Russia Council, a panel set up in 2002 to improve ties between the former Cold War rivals.
The meeting comes as President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prepare to hold a summit next week, and is likely to reflect the trend toward improved relations.
"What we would like to see is cooperation in areas where we have clearly identified interests," said a senior U.S. official who spoke on usual condition of anonymity. "We hope today's meeting is the beginning of the process of reviving military-to-military cooperation."
Despite last year's disruption of ties with NATO, Russia has continued cooperating with individual NATO nations such as the U.S., France or Germany by allowing them to use Russia's rail network to resupply international forces in Afghanistan, and its navy has worked with NATO warships on their joint anti-piracy patrols.
Officials said participants are expected to give a go-ahead Saturday for formal military ties to be restarted with meetings of defense ministers and military chiefs of staff.
NATO commanders are particularly interested in Russia's cooperation on the transshipments of military supplies to the rapidly expanding U.S.-led force in Afghanistan. The normal supply route to landlocked Afghanistan via Pakistan has come under repeated Taliban attack, and the generals are keen to have an alternate overland supply route available through Russia and the Central Asian countries.
Saturday's meeting coincides with preparations for Afghanistan's presidential elections Aug. 20, seen as a key indication of whether the U.S. and NATO are succeeding in their efforts to stabilize the nation. NATO also wants Russia to provide more assistance to the war effort, including helping the government army with arms and airlift.
