Russia joins Nato with a joke

Russia’s first action as a limited partner in Nato was ... a joke.

Before the ink dried today on an agreement establishing a new Nato-Russia Council, Russian President Vladimir Putin quipped, ‘‘We should call ourselves the House of the Soviets.’’

As in soviet, the Russian term for council, not the communist Soviet Union of Cold War days.

A few leaders at the table, including President George Bush, chuckled.

So that Putin’s remarks would not be misunderstood in the minutes of the meeting, Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson said, ‘‘I will declare that to be a joke.’’

Russia and the 19 NATO partners signed the agreement during a summit at a Rome air base.