NATO Must Guarantee The Deterrent And Security Of Its Member Countries, Lithuania’s Minister Of Foreign Affairs Says
On 22-23 April at the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Tallinn, NATO’s new Strategic Concept that should be agreed on in November during the Lisbon Summit was discussed. READ MORE
NATO and Russia edge warily toward a joint missile defense shield
NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen has appealed for a joint missile defense shield with Russia to cover Europe and offer protection from a possible terror attack. But analysts are still cautious about its prospects. READ MORE
Clear Skies For NATO Meeting, Though Trouble Brews Over Russia, Afghanistan
NATO foreign ministers are breathing a collective sigh of relief as skies in Europe clear from volcanic ash and their April 22-23 meeting in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, can now officially go ahead. READ MORE
Lithuanian And Norwegian Foreign Ministers Discussed Bilateral And Regional Cooperation At A Teleconference
Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, who could not come to Lithuania due to the cancelled flights in Europe, discussed issues of bilateral relations, cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, economy and international security during a teleconference that was held on 19 April. READ MORE
Russia in Europe and the West
Russia's ratification of European Court of Human Rights reform and debates about its strategic security relationship with NATO suggest that there could be a new turn in Moscow's relations with Europe and the transatlantic community, writes Michael Emerson, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). READ MORE
Military Dimension Of Energy Security
The stage of discussions among the experts preparing proposals for the NATO strategic concept has come to an end; the stage of consultations in the capitals of the Alliance states has commenced. Afterward they will have to identify the most relevant future threats, NATO‘s tasks in combating these threats and the ways for increasing the Alliance’s effectiveness etc. The decisions made will also affect the development of our national security system; therefore the ongoing discussions are instrumental for Lithuania. READ MORE
Uzbek Reactions to Holbrooke Visit and US Regional Interests
The US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, visited Uzbekistan as part of a tour of several Central Asian states during February 17-21. At that time, Holbrooke held talks with Uzbek President, Islam Karimov, regarding the US-led offensive in Afghanistan and related international efforts to promote regional security. READ MORE
"Sages" on NATO Service
NATO New Strategic Concept should reply on a number of fundamental questions and global challenges. There are a few key directions which include stabilization of Afghanistan, involvement of Russia into mutually beneficial and mutually binding relations with Europe and extended North-Atlantic community, development of cooperation with non-governmental institutions, international organizations, cyber-threats struggling. READ MORE
Forthcoming Nato Foreign Ministers Meeting Was Discussed In Riga
On 9 April in Riga, foreign ministers of the Baltic States discussed preparations for the informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 22-23 April in Tallinn and exchanged opinions regarding NATO’s new Strategic Concept. READ MORE
Deputy Minister: Ukrainians Treated By EU Consulates As In Communist Russia
Ukrainian citizens face a "Visa Berlin Wall" when trying to enter the EU and the visa requirement procedures of European consulates are similar to those in communist Russia, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kostyantyn Yeliseyev told in an interview. READ MORE