Category Archives: NATO

However, the first country ofthe former Soviet bloc tojoin NATO was de facto the German Democratic Republic in1990. By agreeing tothe reunification ofGermany, Moscow secured commitment that the West would not deploy troops onthe territory ofthe former East Germany and NATO would not expand tothe east.

Then-German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher assured his Soviet counterpart Eduard Shevardnadze: "For us, it stands firm: NATO will not expand itself tothe East."

AFP 2017/ JANEK SKARZYNSKI

Meanwhile, inthe first half ofthe 1990s, the United States and the European Union were inno haste toadmit the three former Socialist countries intothe alliance. However, finally a way intoNATO forthem was opened.

In 1997, six years afterthe dissolution ofthe Warsaw Treaty Organization, then-NATO Secretary General Javier Solana announced that the alliance decided toinvite Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary toadmission talks.

Madeleine Albright, NATO and Eastern Europe

Many Russian political analysts agree that American politician and diplomat Madeleine Albright played a key role inthe integration ofthe former Warsaw Treaty countries intoNATO.

In 1993, Albright became Washingtons Ambassador tothe UN and in1997 she was appointed asSecretary ofState.

Speaking inthe Senate inApril 1997, Albright said: "Russia would likeus tomake absolute commitments aboutthe deployment ofnuclear and conventional forces onthe territories ofnew members. But we will not compromise onthis issue," Albright said.

The State Secretary noted that the US did not plan todeploy nuclear weapons toprotect Eastern Europe. She added that NATO would not permanently station "substantial combat forces" inthe region.

First Expansion

In the second half ofthe 1990s, relations betweenRussia and the West were relatively warm and Moscow did not regard the NATO enlargement asa direct military threat. In 1998, then-Russian Foreign Minister Evgeniy Primakov said it was rather a psychological problem.

"There are some real issues, and there is also the psychological factor. It should be considered. Russia is underpressure because the alliance is expanding and nearing our borders. At the same time, the Founding Act onRussia-NATO ties helped ease tensions," Primakov said.

Moscow was concerned overthe pace ofthe NATO expansion. In fact, the admission ofPoland, the Czech Republic and Hungary was fast-tracked.

What is more, the fast pace ofintegration was dictated bythe upcoming military operation inYugoslavia. The first bombs were dropped onMarch 24, 1999, just 12 days afterPoland, the Czech Republic and Hungary became NATO members.

Moscow was outraged withNATOs intervention ofYugoslavia. Foreign Minister Primakovs plane made the famous U-turn overthe Atlantic, marking the beginning ofa new stage inRussia-NATO relations.

Bargaining Chip

In Russia, there is a common notion that NATO is a monolith organization. In fact, there have always been differences withinthe alliance. During the Cold War, its unanimity was cemented withthe "Communist threat." But afterthe Soviet bloc collapsed, NATOs unity shattered.

Sputnik/ Sergei Guneev

In the mid-2000s, Warsaw and Prague turned a blind eye onmass protests and agreed onthe deployment ofcomponents ofthe US global missile shield. Launched in2001 byPresident George W. Bush, the initiative was regarded asa threat byMoscow.

Finally, the efforts ofthe Polish and Czech government toprove their loyalty toWashington backfired. In 2009, Barack Obama became US President and adjusted the strategy towardsWashingtons allies inEastern Europe, thus, showing their real role inUS foreign policy.

"The Russia connection is simply that we're working and indeed, a number ofcountries incentral Europe are working toreset the relationship withRussia," US National Security Advisor Antony Blinken said in2009.

Thus, Washington indicated that Poland, the Czech Republic and other former Warsaw Treaty states were just a bargaining chip inUS-Russia relations.

Disputes Over Russia

Oddly enough, NATOs unity has been further undermined bythe situation aroundRussia. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Bulgaria do not want a confrontation betweenthe West and Moscow.

Moreover, Czech President Milos Zeman has repeatedly called forthe removal ofanti-Russian sanctions and underscored the importance ofdialogue withMoscow.

New Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is also known asa vocal critic ofthe Western anti-Russian approach. Despite the fact that Radev is pro-European and pro-NATO, he insists that West-Russia ties cannot be based onconfrontation.

"Bulgaria is a loyal member ofNATO and the EU. Historically and culturally, Bulgaria has always been a European country. It has chosen a stable and unswerving path ofpro-European development. We shall not stray fromit. We want toassert ourselves asa most reliable NATO partner. But that does not mean we have tobe an enemy toRussia, a country we have important economic interests with," Radev said inan interview withLe Monde inDecember.

In an interview withRT, Ivan Konovalov, a senior analyst atthe Russia Institute forStrategic Studies, noted that NATO has found itself ina stalemate.

"Western Europe and the US do not want tosponsor Eastern Europe, and Eastern Europe does not have money torestore its defense capabilities. The situation is further complicated withcalls toend confrontation withRussia," Konovalov said.

The expert suggested that Eastern European states have not gained their desired benefits fromNATO integration.

"The armed forces offormer Warsaw Treaty members are indecay. Their Soviet-made military hardware is poorly maintained, and they do not receive new equipment. Moreover, they cannot cooperate withRussia, they do not wage wars. So, it is unclear what is the reason forthem tobe inNATO," Konovalov said.

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Shattered Alliance: Unpleasant Legacy of NATO's Fast-Tracked Expansion in Europe - Sputnik International

WICHITA FALLS, TX - The Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's steering committee meets twice a year -- one of those times at Sheppard Air Force Base.

"I'm just coordinating all of the effort that all the nation and the representatives from all of the nations are doing during the meeting. We'll just discuss frankly and honestly of what the problems are and we can find a solution that speaks to all nations," Italian A.F. Brig. Gen. Vincenzo Nuzzo, Steering Committee Chairman, said.

There are 13 NATO countries involved in ENJJPT, which are responsible for guiding what the committee does.

"They fund us. They provide the leadership that allows us to determine what our training should be for our pilots that we have here. So, when we do a steering committee, the members of each of those countries will come together and meet and discuss what we have been accomplishing and what they would like us to be able to do in the future," Colonel Gregory Keeton, 80th Flying Training Wing Commander, said.

And, it is possible a new NATO partner was in attendance this week.

"The update is actually another nation, Romania, is probably coming on-board. We are very delighted about that and, you know, we have developed new and we are looking into new training programs just to keep our pilots to receive the best training as possible," Gen. Nuzzo said.

As far as what leaders think about the NATO alliance -- after questions by President Donald Trump surrounding its cost for America compared to what other countries pay.....

"I think it is vital. In my opinion, this program is an excellent example of NATO actually paying for what they do and paying their fair share. It's a great opportunity for the tax payer and the United States to share the burden with a lot of the partners that come in here because they pay for things like runway repair -- anything that we need for the program that's accomplished is paid for by partner funding," Col. Keeton.

They said a vital alliance -- with one its key programs housed at Sheppard.

Leaders predict Romania will join the training program before the next committee meeting in September. They believe that nation will make ENJJPT even stronger and secure in the future.

Link:
Update on Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program - Story - KFDX

After accusing German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on the campaign trail, of "ruining Germany" by welcoming refugees, US President Donald Trump will have his first face-to-face meeting with the German leader at the White House on Tuesday.

The two are expected to discuss strengthening the NATO alliance, collaborating in the fight against terrorism and taking steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, White House officials said Friday.

More broadly, Trump's first encounter will be aimed at building a personal rapport with a European partner who was among former President Barack Obama's strongest allies and international confidantes, according to the officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity despite the president's recent criticism of anonymous sources.

They are expected to discuss Germany's level of defense spending for the NATO alliance, the Ukraine conflict, Syrian refugees, the European Union and a host of other issues, said three senior administration officials who briefed reporters.

"My expectation is that they'll have a very positive, cordial meeting," said one of the officials.

Trump has long expressed a desire for warmer US relations with Russia but some of his top Cabinet officials are skeptical.

"The president will be very interested in hearing the chancellor's views on her experience interacting with Putin," said another official. "He's going to be very interested in hearing her insights on what it's like to deal with the Russians."

NATO and defense spending

White House officials said Trump would also discuss the need for NATO members to increase their defense spending.

"We are heartened by the German government's determination to reach NATO's benchmark of committing 2 percent of GDP to defense by 2024," the official said. "The president believes that all allies must shoulder their share of the defense burden."

In 2014 NATO's 28-member countries committed to reaching the spending target within a decade but only the US and four other members of the post-World War II military alliance are in compliance.

Trump referred to NATO as "obsolete" prior to his inauguration. Buthe has since told European leaders he agrees on the "fundamental importance" of the alliance.

Last month US Vice President Mike Pence reassured European leaders on the US commitment to NATO. German MEP David McAllister told DW that Pence's words were reassuring.

Many European allies have been rattled by Trump's positive statements about Putin and next week's meeting will come amid questions about Trump associates' connections to Russia.

Climate change

The White House said Trump and Merkel might also discuss the Paris accord on climate change. Trump vowed during his campaign to withdraw from the climate agreement, suggesting that global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese.

But the administration is still formulating its policy on the issue ahead of the G7 meeting in Italy in May.

bik/se(AP, Reuters)

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Trump and Merkel to talk NATO, Ukraine and climate change - Deutsche Welle

An organisation, society or country can only succeed if it uses the full potential of all of its members men and women, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, marking the occasion of International Womens Day on Wednesday (8 March 2017). He stressed that equal participation of men and women is a core security requirement, essential to the resilience of societies, to the effectiveness of NATO forces and to achieving and preserving peace.

NATO strongly supports the global women, peace and security agenda. The Alliance has integrated gender perspectives in its three core tasks collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security. NATO works to promote womens rights in training and operations, and in our assistance for partners, such as Jordan, Georgia and Ukraine. The appointment of NATOs Special Representative on Women, Peace and Security Ambassador Marriet Schuurman demonstrates the importance of these issues.

Today, NATO has more women in leadership positions than ever before as ministers, senior officials and military commanders. A quarter of NATO Defence Ministers are women, six of 28 NATO Ambassadors are women, and last year, the Alliance welcomed its first female Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller. NATOs Joint Force Command in Naples is also led by US Admiral Michelle Howard, a four-star officer, and US Army Brigadier General Giselle Wilz is the first woman to head NATO HQ Sarajevo. Canadas most senior female military officer, Lt.-Gen. Christine Whitecross, is currently commandant of the NATO Defense College in Rome.

The Secretary General has highlighted that making the best potential of both men and women makes NATO stronger and better prepared to deal with current security challenges. I look forward to the day when not just a quarter but half of NATO ministers are women; I am sure that time will come, said the Secretary General.

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NATO - News: NATO marks International Women's Day, 08-Mar.-2017 - NATO HQ (press release)

PR dla Zagranicy

Victoria Bieniek 11.03.2017 12:28

Polish Defence Minister has said that a NATO multinational battalion battle group will stop to meet with Polish citizens en-route to their destination in Poland's northeast.

The head of Poland's National Security Bureau Pawe Soloch said that the battalion, which will be stationed in Orzysz and Bemowo Piskie, both in northeastern Poland, will be officially welcomed on 13 April.

Four such battalions will be stationed in along NATO's eastern flank, including Poland, according to a decision taken at a 2016 NATO summit in Warsaw amid fears of Russian aggression following Moscow's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014.

NATO troops will be stationed as of 1 April, Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said, adding that Poles would soon find out about the soldiers' route to their destination in Poland's north east, because they will be stopping and meeting with residents along the way.

We want the aspect of mutual relations between NATO troops and the community to be as visible and deep as possible, Macierewicz said.

In mid-January, a brigade of some 3,500 US soldiers and over 1,000 vehicles, including Abrams tanks, Bradley military vehicles, and Paladin self-propelled howitzers arrived in Poland.

The decision to station the brigade in Poland was made separately to NATO's decision, taken last July, to deploy four rotating multinational battalions of some 1,000 soldiers each to the military alliances eastern flank. (vb)

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NATO battalion will meet Polish residents: defence minister - thenews.pl

General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee stressed his gratitude for Jordans contributions to NATO-led operations over many years when he visited Amman, Jordan on 7-8 March 2017. During the trip, the Chairman met with the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Lt General Mahmoud Freihat and the Director of the Military Intelligence Directorate, General Emad Adaileh.

Jordans participation in NATO exercises, its active and valuable contribution to NATO-led operations, as well as NATOs Defence Capacity Building (DCB) assistance to Jordan were discussed by the Generals. The Chairman stated, NATO is committed to strengthening NATO - Jordanian relations. Jordan is a key partner - both a security provider and a security contributor.

During the Generals meeting with General Emad Adaileh, regional security challenges and threats were discussed as well as their worldwide impact. The Chairman welcomed the discussion as Jordan has a wealth of expertise and experience and in todays complex world, sharing information and cooperating closely is key when addressing global threats.

While in Jordan, General Pavel also delivered opening remarks at the NATO Science for Peace and Security Border Security Symposium. Only through existing relationships, expanding networks, and cooperation with multilateral security organizations can we guarantee our collective peace and security, stated the Chairman.

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NATO - : Chairman of the NATO Military Committee: NATO and ... - NATO HQ (press release)

Now that we have our sweet, sweet brackets for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, it's time to take a closer look at theweight classes. We'redoing a deep dive into eachdivision, rolling out previewsone at a time, so you can pour over and digest everything before thefirst whistle in St. Louis on March 16.

First was 125;now we move on up to 133.

Nahshon Garrett owned this weight class last year, going a perfect 37-0 on his way to an NCAA crown after bumping up from 125, where he wrestled the previous year. This year, Ohio State's Nathan Tomasello looks to follow a similar trajectory.

Like Garrett, Tomasellobulked up, having spent the last two seasons at 125. Also like Garrett, Nato is undefeated and the No. 1seed going into this tournament (one of 10 undefeated No.1 seeds; we will see one of those in each weight class).

However, unlike most of the other weight classes, our top-seeded wrestler at 131 did not start the season at the top. That honor belonged to Iowa senior Cory Clark. He is one of several contenders looking to stop the junior Buckeye from becoming a two-time NCAA champion.

We'll take a look at those contenders next, followed by dark horses and a full set of predictions and analysis (2017 NCAA tournament seeds in parentheses).

Tomasello just finished winning his third straight Big Ten title. Meanwhile,Seth Gross and Kaid Brock both just wrestled in the finals of the Big 12 Championships, where Gross emerged the victor after a wild 9-7 slugfest.

A returning finalist,Clark has been dogged by a shoulder injury all year long, but when he's wrestled he's been competitive with the best of the division, losing to the No.1-, No. 3-, and No.7-seeded wrestlers by a combined five points.

StevanMicic rounds out our list of contenders. The Wolverines sophomore is wrestling the best he has all year, getting revenge against Illinois seniorZane Richards at last weekend's Big Ten Championships bybeating him twice in convincing fashion.

Two of our dark horses come from the sneaky good Mid-American Conference, which is sending another five qualifiers to St. Louis in what is nationally a very deep weight class. Both BryanLantry and JoshAlber are sophomores with high ceilings and indefatigable motors. If either of them get on a roll, he isgoing to be trouble for higher-seeded guys in hisway.

ScottDelvecchio is more of a true dark horse, spending most of the year outside the top 20. He's revving up at the right time, however. Though he only placed ninth at the Big Ten Championships, the two losses he suffered were to No.1 Tomasello and No.8Richards by a total of just four points.

I also think Brock will avenge his Big 12 finals loss in the semis against Gross and score more precious team points for the Cowboys. Who knows if the team score will even be a factor at this point in the tournament, but you can bet that Oklahoma State head coach John Smith will have his 133-pounder primed for the big stage regardless.

Check out Brock putting away two-timeAll-American Earl Hallin anentertainingBig 12 semifinals bout: Additionally, I think Stevan Micic will get by Cory Clark in a heroic quarterfinal contestbut then fall to Nato in the semis. Micic willget to third place-match where he'll see Gross, who advances to the consolation finals after falling to Brock inthe semis. I think Gross comes out on top here and places third.

Lehigh juniorScotty Parkermissed a good chunk of the seasondue to injurybutlooked ferocious while winning an EIWA championship last week. He'll beat Richards in a mild round-of-16 upset before getting bounced into the consis by Nato in the quarters, where he'll thenrun into, and get the better of,Clark.

I seeParker takingfifth over Dom Forys, who famously did not place in the Pennsylvania state championships his senior year of high school. But Dommore than makes up for it this year atNCAAs with a commendable sixth-place finish and All-American honors.

Dark horse Josh Alber makes it past his MAC nemesis, John Erneste, and finds his way to the 7/8 placement match, where the veteranClark will be waiting for him. Clark ends his incredible Hawkeyes career on a positive note, taking seventh, while the young Panther finishes eighth and begins preparations for next season.

Think you can make better picks? There's a very good chance you can! Here's the 133 bracket. Let me know what you think, and enjoy the championship, wrestling fans!

See the rest here:
Nato Back On Top? 133-Pound NCAA Preview - FloWrestling

Various events took place at NATO Headquarters to celebrate International Womens Day (8 March) and to raise awareness of gender perspectives and the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Promotion of gender equality and inclusive security is our core business as a matter of both institutional excellence and operational effectiveness. Because it is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do, said Marrit Schuurman, the NATO Secretary Generals Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. She was speaking at an event to launch registrations for the second edition of the solidarity run known as She runs, He runs, We run at NATO Headquarters.

Corporal Pellegrina Caputo was a guest speaker at the same event. Telling her inspirational life story as an active duty soldier of the Italian Armed Forces, a veteran, a survivor and also a Paralympic champion with many awards, she had a strong message in line with this years theme for International Womens Day, Be Bold for Change.

Women are part of the community and so the military. I always wanted to serve people and my country. That is why I returned after I recovered from my injuries back to active duty. I am happy I got the chance once again, she concluded. Corporal Caputo lost her left lower limb in a car accident during her deployment in the NATO-led Kosovo Force but returned to duty just two years later.

In the spirit of the motto of the day, Ambassador Schuurman later moderated an informal discussion on principles and personal stories of boldness and change. Civil society activists, who are also members of the Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security, participated as did a representative of NATOs International Military Staff.

NATO ambassadors gathered the day before to discuss progress in implementing the action plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325 developed by NATO together with partner countries.

Diversity makes us stronger and more effective. We have made considerable progress, but further efforts have to be taken to sustain what has been already achieved but also ensure consistency, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

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International Women's Day at NATO: #BeBoldForChange - NATO HQ (press release)

Stars and Stripes

NATO forces harmonize the big guns Stars and Stripes A big goal of the exercise was to promote Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities, a software-based program used by five NATO nations to digitally communicate real-time, linking their field artillery and command and control systems. ASCA is a common ... and more »

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NATO forces harmonize the big guns - Stars and Stripes

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says he has ordered officials to look at how Canada calculates military spending compared to other NATO members, to ensure all allies are comparing apples to apples.

We have to be cognizant that different nations use a different formula, Sajjan told the House of Commons defence committee on Thursday.

So right now the deputy minister is working with our closest partners to look at exactly the formula that they were using so we can have a good comparison.

The comments come as Canada and other NATO allies are facing pressure from the Trump administration in Washington to increase the amount they spend on their militaries.

While all NATO members agreed in 2014 to work towards spending two per cent of their gross domestic product, or GDP, on defence, only five have reached that goal.

Canada is not one of them, and is actually near the back of the pack. It currently spends less than one per cent of GDP on defence, which ranks it 23rd among 28 NATO members.

Sajjan would not say whether the government will actual rolling in the spending on the coast guard or veterans programs like the U.S. and Britain, which would inch Canada closer to two per cent.

But at the same time, we do need to look at what our closest allies are actually using so that we can then compare apples to apples in terms of that commitment, he told The Canadian Press after the meeting.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to all but dismiss the two per cent target during a visit to Germany last month, saying: There are many ways of evaluating ones contribution to NATO.

That is the message the government has repeatedly delivered to Washington, emphasizing Canadas military contributions to Latvia, Ukraine and Iraq in lieu of large spending increases.

Sajjan repeated it during and after his committee appearance, adding that the government would invest in what it believes the military needs to do its job rather than to meet a specific target.

We are going to invest in defence and what we need for outputs, he said. Thats how we conduct a defence policy review. Thats what makes it credible.

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said there is validity to the governments argument that spending alone isnt a good measure of a countrys contributions to NATO.

But the fact the government is reviewing the formula indicates it is at least a little concerned about how Canada compares to other NATO members, particularly given the messages coming out of Washington.

It is also another indication that the government is not planning to include any big injections of money into the military in the upcoming budget or its new defence policy, which is expected in the coming weeks.

If they were about to unleash a big increase to the budget, Perry said, youd kind of wonder whether or not theyd be going through the exercise of figuring out what to count.

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Officials to review how Canada, NATO members calculate defence spending - The Globe and Mail