Category: NATOSource

Turkey shelves EU reforms as accession hopes fade

By Ercan Yavuz, Zaman

From Ercan Yavuz, Zaman:  With key European Union states showing no sign of relenting in their opposition to Turkey’s accession, the government has postponed dozens of laws required to be passed to achieve harmonization with the 27-nation bloc’s standards until after the June elections, and even beyond.

Germany Feels Some Push Back as It Grows More Euro-Assertive

By Stephen Castle, the International Herald Tribune

From Stephen Castle, the International Herald Tribune:  For decades Germans wanted to become more European and took care not to be seen bossing around their allies on the Continent. But now that the government in Berlin wants Europe to become more like Germany, the temperature is rising.

Marc Grossman to be new U.S. envoy to Afghanistan-Pakistan

By Mark Landler, the New York Times

From Mark Landler, the New York Times:  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has chosen Marc Grossman, a retired senior diplomat and former ambassador to Turkey, as the Obama administration’s new special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, a senior State Department official said Monday.

Cuts in European defense budgets raise concerns for U.S., NATO

By Michael Birnbaum, the Washington Post

From Michael Birnbaum, the Washington Post:  [S]ome top officials, including the U.S. defense secretary and the NATO secretary general, worry that the changes could burden the United States by reducing the number of European troops available for NATO missions and other military efforts around the world.

Nato seeks Gulf security partners

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Gulf News

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Gulf News:  I see a number of opportunities to bring fresh momentum, scope and substance to our partnership in the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.

German court tries Austrian charged with spying for Russia

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  A court in the south German city of Munich began on Monday hearing the case of an Austrian man suspected of spying for Russia, local media said. Harald Alois, 52, was arrested on May 27 for providing Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service with technologies developed by the global helicopter manufacturing firm, Eurocopter.  (photo: […]

WikiLeaks: NATO unimpressed by Russia’s military

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:  NATO was not impressed by Russia’s military performance after two large maneuvers in 2009 because its forces relied on aging equipment, lacked transport and suffered from manpower shortages, according to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable.

NATO: 740 trainers still needed for Afghan forces

By Deb Riechmann, the AP

From Deb Riechmann, the AP:  More nations are pledging support, yet NATO still faces a shortage of 740 trainers needed to get Afghan soldiers and policemen ready to take the lead in securing their nation, the coalition’s top training official says.

162 Turkish officers ordered jailed in coup trial

By Suzan Fraser, the AP

NATO allies concerned about nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad

By Vanessa Gera, the AP

From Vanessa Gera, the AP:  Rose Gottemoeller, the chief U.S. negotiator of New START, visited Poland, Ukraine and the three Baltic states in recent days to hear how these countries view the issue of tactical weapons.