Norway: Russia to cut all military ties with NATO

[Otto 83]

Norway: Russia to cut all military ties with NATO By BJOERN H. AMLAND, Associated Press Writer

Thu Aug 21, 4:34 AM ET

Russia has informed Norway that it plans to suspend all military ties with NATO, Norway's Defense Ministry said Wednesday, a day after the military alliance urged Moscow to withdraw its forces from Georgia.

NATO foreign ministers said Tuesday they would make further ties with Russia dependent on Moscow making good on a pledge to pull its troops back to pre-conflict positions in Georgia. However, they stopped short of calling an immediate halt to all cooperation.

The Nordic country's embassy in Moscow received a telephone call from "a well-placed official in the Russian Ministry of Defense," who said Moscow plans "to freeze all military cooperation with NATO and allied countries," Espen Barth Eide, state secretary with the Norwegian ministry said.

Eide told The Associated Press that the Russian official notified Norway it will receive a written note about this soon. He said Norwegian diplomats in Moscow would meet Russian officials on Thursday morning to clarify the implications of the freeze.

"It is our understanding that other NATO countries will receive similar notes," Eide said. The ministry said the Russian official is known to the embassy, but Norway declined to provide a name or any further identifying information.

A Kremlin official declined to comment on the report, and the Russian ambassador to NATO did not reply to messages left on his cell phone. But the Interfax news agency, citing what it called a military-diplomatic source in Moscow whom it did not identify, reported that Russia is reviewing its 2008 military cooperation plans with NATO.

Officials at NATO headquarters in Brussels said Moscow had not informed the alliance it was taking such a step.

Washington described the reported move as unfortunate.

"If this indeed is the case, it would be unfortunate. We need to work with Russia on a range of security issues, but we are obviously very concerned about Russian behavior in Georgia," U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.

Under a 2002 agreement that set up the NATO-Russia Council, the former Cold War foes began several cooperation projects. They include occasional participation of Russian warships in NATO counterterrorism patrols in the Mediterranean Sea, sharing expertise to combat heroin trafficking out of Afghanistan and developing battlefield anti-missile technology.

Last week, Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin warned the Western alliance against cutting off cooperation, saying it would hurt both sides.

The Interfax news agency, citing a military-diplomatic source in Moscow, reported Wednesday that Russia is reviewing its 2008 military cooperation plans as a result of NATO's decision to suspend meetings of the NATO-Russia Council.

Eide said he hoped NATO and Moscow would get back on track with dialogue and cooperation but said that Russia would first have to comply with a cease-fire in Georgia.

"I regret the situation has come to this," he said.

The hostilities between Russia and Georgia began earlier this month when Georgia cracked down on South Ossetia. The region is internationally recognized as being within Georgian borders but leans toward Moscow and regards itself as independent. Russia answered by sending its troops and tanks across the Georgian border.

Source

[Sinergy 3]

This is not good

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

This is not good

[Sinergy 3]

Im thinking BAD time for Edi to sign those papers to join the Army on Saturday

[almaty 19]

russia is a 2nd world miltary-wise..during yetlsin time, the funding was gone..it will take them years to catch up..

they do have nukes, but their technology suxs....

[Ilya R. 0]

I woudlnt say that it "sux"

They dont run around with sticks or anything like that

[almaty 19]

I woudlnt say that it "sux"

They dont run around with sticks or anything like that

total agreement..they are a power, but lack conventional weapons, as they fell behind nato and china..with their oil revenue..they will start catching up in the enxt 20 years

[Ilya R. 0]

I woudlnt say that it "sux"

They dont run around with sticks or anything like that

total agreement..they are a power, but lack conventional weapons, as they fell behind nato and china..with their oil revenue..they will start catching up in the enxt 20 years

Depends on what do you consider conventional Weapons. Their Air Superiority fell, Logistics fell, Ground forces, and Support units are still pretty effective. Problem is that their high technology weaponry is so costly that they use lower tier models in their army while selling off the "good" stuff.

[almaty 19]

I woudlnt say that it "sux"

They dont run around with sticks or anything like that

total agreement..they are a power, but lack conventional weapons, as they fell behind nato and china..with their oil revenue..they will start catching up in the enxt 20 years

Depends on what do you consider conventional Weapons. Their Air Superiority fell, Logistics fell, Ground forces, and Support units are still pretty effective. Problem is that their high technology weaponry is so costly that they use lower tier models in their army while selling off the "good" stuff.

good points.,. i think, the russian army has improved in training and morale..they sold off their fighters...and their navy is poor....i do not see russia, getting into any futher interventions in the near future..,the point was made and now they back-off and work on the economic...and weapon development

[Ilya R. 0]

yep pretty much

[almaty 19]

yep pretty much

..thanks for the information and good posts..i admire your spirit...