Category: NATOSource

Cameron backs Turkey joining the EU

By Alex Barker and Delphine Strauss, the Financial Times

From Alex Barker and Delphine Strauss, the Financial Times:  David Cameron will express his “anger” on Tuesday at Turkey’s European Union membership bid being “frustrated” by the bloc’s leaders, as he heaps praise on an emerging power increasingly at odds with Britain, the US and Europe on the world stage.

Statement of National Security Advisor General James Jones on Wikileaks

By the White House

NATO nations: Hope document leak won’t affect war

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:  NATO’s European members said Monday they hope the unprecedented leak of 91,000 classified U.S. military records on Afghanistan will not negatively affect the current war effort. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said there has been significant progress recently in building up the Afghan state "so I hope any such leaks […]

Three new ships, three submarines to join Russian Black Sea Fleet – Navy commander

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Three patrol boats of a new project and three submarines of 636 project will be laid up at Russian shipyards for the Black Sea Fleet before the end of 2010, Russian Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said. "They [the ships] will be included in the Black Sea Fleet,"  Vysotsky said. "The three […]

Europe seeks to end divisions on Kosovo

By AFP

From AFP:  The European Union hopes to finally speak with one voice on Kosovo after a UN court backed Pristina’s independence claim, piling pressure on the five EU states that still refuse to recognise it. Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania are the only countries in the 27-nation bloc to have refused to recognise Kosovo’s […]

Japan to OK exports of missile interceptors -media

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Japan is set to allow exports of missile interceptors it is developing jointly with the United States, Kyodo news agency said, relaxing its ban on arms exports. Europe is considered a likely destination for the ship-based Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, Kyodo said on Sunday, citing unnamed sources close to Japan-U.S. relations. The advanced […]

Brzezinski: NATO facing ‘budget cuts that leave the alliance militarily emasculated’

By Alex Kingsbury, U.S. News

From Alex Kingsbury, U.S. News:  Excerpts from interview with NATO expert Ian Brzezinski. The unpopular war in Afghanistan may be NATO’s greatest challenge since the end of the Cold War, leading some to question its continued relevance. Does NATO have a future? In five or 10 years, if we’re lucky and things are handled wisely, […]

Baltic leaders thank US for Cold War stance

By DPA

From DPA:  Leaders of the Baltic states thanked the United States on Friday for refusing to recognize their countries’ annexation by the Soviet Union during and after World War II. The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania sent a joint letter to President Barack Obama expressing their gratitude for the US decision, which was […]

Counterpoint: On Missile Defense

By Richard Weitz, the International Herald Tribune

From Richard Weitz, the International Herald Tribune:  In their thoughtful article published Thursday in the International Herald Tribune, Sam Nunn, Igor Ivanov and Wolfgang Ischinger argue that missile defense cooperation among Americans, Russians and Europeans offers the greatest near-term potential for overcoming NATO-Russian divisions and creating a more inclusive security system in Europe.

France to build two warships for Russia-Sarkozy

By Reuters

From Reuters:  French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday he was "certain" France would build two Mistral class helicopter carriers for Russia. Russia hopes to buy four Mistral class warships to modernise hardware that was exposed as outdated during its war against Georgia in 2008. France has said it is willing to sell the ship, […]