Category: NATOSource

EU commission called upon to go after corrupt defence deals

By Valentina Pop, the EUobserver

From Valentina Pop, the EUobserver:  Munich-based investigators in March opened a case against the German engineering group Ferrostaal, suspected of paying bribes to secure defence contracts in Portugal and Greece and of organizing bribery payments on behalf of other firms for a fee. The investigation has meanwhile spread to Portugal and Greece, and touches on […]

Ukraine’s new NATO mission head upbeat on ties with alliance

By Interfax-Ukraine

A NATO Rep and two other Generals forced to leave Czech army over Russian spy

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Three Czech generals, including a presidential staff member and a NATO representative, were forced to leave the army in 2009 after a Russian spy’s contact with their offices, a Czech newspaper reported on Tuesday. Czech military and counter-intelligence agents have increasingly highlighted Russian agents’ presence in the central European NATO and European Union […]

Turkey to follow UN sanctions on Iran, not tougher EU or US bans

By Hürriyet

Cyprus official: US will get Russian spy’s laptop

By the AP

From the AP:  The justice minister in Cyprus says a confiscated laptop and other items belonging to an alleged Russian spy who vanished will be turned over to U.S. authorities. Loucas Louca said on Tuesday that he will agree to a U.S. request for the laptop, 3 USB memory sticks and a digital camera belonging […]

PM says France “at war” with al Qaeda

By Paul Taylor, Reuters

From Paul Taylor, Reuters:  France said on Monday it was at war with al Qaeda’s North African branch and will intensify military support for governments in the region combating the Islamist fighters who killed an elderly French hostage. But Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Paris would continue to negotiate with hostage-takers whenever possible to save […]

NATO: military ties with Russia improving steadily

By the AP

From the AP:  NATO’s top officer says military-to-military relations between Russia and the alliance are "definitely improving." Italian Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, who heads the alliance’s military committee, says cooperation with Moscow is expected to deepen further in 2011 because of shared concerns over Afghanistan, and the threats posed by terrorism and maritime piracy. … […]

Why NATO Matters to the USA

By Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command

From Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command:  First, before we decide we don’t think NATO matters, let’s do a little “comparative shopping.”  Practically speaking, NATO has the best pool of partners we will have in the world for the foreseeable future.

British PM in Turkey: ‘I will remain your strongest possible advocate for EU Membership’

By David Cameron, British Prime Minister's Office

Admiral says Russia will not buy Mistral without ‘transfer of key, fundamental technologies’

By Bloomberg

From Bloomberg:   A Russian admiral told a Moscow radio station the country won’t buy a French helicopter carrier without technology transfers, putting in doubt a contract French President Nicolas Sarkozy said was “certain.” Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy that there was no point buying the ship unless it came with […]