Rice: Go slow on co-op with Russia

The NATO alliance should be cautious in welcoming Russia as a sometime partner, and avoid overt military cooperation with fighting forces that invaded a much smaller neighbor just months ago, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

"In principle, we don't have any problem with it," Rice said. But the timing of renewed cooperation should be subject to several considerations, including whether Russia is meeting its cease-fire commitments, or "acting on its quite ill-tempered decision" to recognize two breakaway Georgian provinces as independent.

"Those are ... the touchstones of when it makes sense," Rice told reporters during a goodbye stop in London on Monday.