http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=17033


Civil Georgia
February 1, 2008


U.S. Senator Calls for NATO MAP for Georgia


Tbilisi - Dick Lugar, the Republican chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations, said in a resolution
submitted to the U.S. Senate on January 31 that the
United States should take the lead in urging its
allies in NATO to recognize the important efforts
underway in Georgia and Ukraine and to offer
Membership Action Plan (MAP) to both countries this
spring.

“The leaders of Georgia and Ukraine have clearly
stated their desire to join NATO and both have made
remarkable progress towards meeting NATO standards,”
Senator Lugar said.

He also said that both countries have significant
amounts of work to accomplish before they can be
offered NATO membership. "MAP participation does not
guarantee future membership," he stressed.

“Potential NATO membership motivates emerging
democracies to make important advances in areas such
as the rule of law and civil society. A closer
relationship with NATO will promote these values and
contribute to our mutual security,” the U.S. Senator
said.

Georgia is currently in a so-called Intensified
Dialogue with NATO and is hoping to progress soon to a
Membership Action Plan.
------------------------------------------------------
http://eng.primenewsonline.com/news/121/ARTICLE/18443/2008-02-01.html


Prime News (Georgia)
February 1, 2008


Richard Lugar Proposes Offering MAP For Georgia


Tbilisi – Richard Lugar, Republican Chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, elaborated a
resolution, which reads that the United States should
take the lead in urging its allies in NATO to
recognize the important efforts underway in Georgia
and Ukraine and to offer the NATO Membership Action
Plan (MAP) to both countries at the summit in
Bucharest, which will be held in April.

Speaking during presentation of the resolution to the
US Senate, Lugar stated that the NATO has a long track
record of support for continued enlargement of NATO to
democracies that are able and willing to meet the
responsibilities of membership.

“The leaders of Georgia and Ukraine have clearly
stated their desire to join the NATO and both have
made remarkable progress towards meeting NATO
standards,” Senator Lugar said.

He also said that both countries have significant
amounts of work to accomplish before they can be
offered NATO membership. "MAP participation does not
guarantee future membership," he stressed.

“Potential NATO membership motivates emerging
democracies to make important advances in areas such
as the rule of law and civil society. A closer
relationship with NATO will promote these values and
contribute to our mutual security,” the U.S. Senator
said.









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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/01/content_7541861.htm


Xinhua News Agency
February 1, 2008


Ukraine, Latvia pledge to strengthen ties, cooperation



KIEV - Ukraine and Latvia on Thursday pledged efforts
to further deepen their ties and strengthen
cooperation in economy, trade, transportation and
energy.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met with
visiting Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins who
is on a two-day visit to Kievstarting on Thursday.

Yushchenko said the two countries should work to
ensure continued growth in two-way trade, and
consolidate their economic and trade cooperation, an
important component of the bilateral relationship.

Ukraine hoped Latvia would back Kiev's efforts to join
the NATO Membership Action Plan, Yushchenko said,
adding that he was looking forward to the visit of his
Latvian counterpart Valdis Zatlers in the first half
of 2008.

Riekstins told a press conference that Ukraine plays a
significant role in safeguarding European security and
stability. Latvia supports Kiev's bid to join the EU
and NATO and will help it integrate into the "European
family."

On Jan. 18, Ukrainian leaders sent NATO Secretary
General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer a formal letter,
requesting consideration of Ukraine's bid to launch
its NATO Membership Action Plan at a NATO summit
scheduled for early April in Bucharest.

However, NATO membership is a highly controversial
issue in Ukraine. Lawmakers from the Ukrainian
Communist Party and the Party of Regions have blocked
the parliament's work, protesting at the authorities'
bid to join NATO and asking for a national referendum.




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http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=43546


Azeri Press Agency
February 1, 2008


Presidents of Poland and Lithuania to discuss ways of
developing relations with Azerbaijan


President of Poland Lech Kaczyñski and his Lithuanian
counterpart Valdas Adamkus will make a short visit to
Azerbaijan today for carrying out negotiations, APA
reports.

One of the main themes of negotiations is to expand
economic cooperation with Azerbaijan and support our
country.

The presidents will also discuss relations with
Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, NATO and issues on energy.
------------------------------------------------------
http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=43518


Azeri Press Agency
February 1, 2008


Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to pay official visit to
Latvia in April


Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov will
pay an official visit to Latvia in April this year,
Azerbaijani ambassador to Latvia Tofig Zulfugarov told
APA.

All spheres pf Azerbaijan-Latvia relations will be
discussed and opportunities for extending the
cooperation will be analyzed during the minister’s
visit.




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http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080201/98151565.html


Russian Information Agency Novosti
February 1, 2008


Thirty Russian aircraft take part in exercises over
two oceans


MOSCOW - Over 30 Russian strategic bombers and
long-range interceptors are participating in joint
exercises with a naval task group in the Atlantic and
Arctic, an Air Force spokesman said on Friday.

"Two Tu-160 Blackjack, two Tu-95MS Bear and eight
Tu-22M3 Backfire-C strategic bombers, two A-50
Mainstay airborne early warning aircraft, four MiG-31
Foxhound and 12 Su-27 Flanker fighters and two Il-78
Midas aerial tankers have been conducting drills since
9.00 a.m. Moscow time [6.a.m. GMT] over the Atlantic
and the Arctic oceans," Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky
said.

During the exercises, which will run until February 2,
Russian pilots are practicing reconnaissance, missile
and bomb strikes on an "aggressor force", and are
flying simulated air combat and air patrolling
missions.

Drobyshevsky said that all flights by Russian aircraft
were performed in strict compliance with international
laws on the use of air space over neutral waters,
without violating the borders of other states.

Russia's naval task force, comprising the Admiral
Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the Udaloy-Class
destroyers Admiral Levchenko and Admiral Chabanenko,
as well as auxiliary vessels, is currently on a
two-month tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea and
the North Atlantic.

The flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva
guided missile cruiser, joined up with Russian naval
warships in the Mediterranean on January 18 to
participate in the current maneuvers.

The current operation is the first large-scale Russian
Navy exercise in the Atlantic in 15 years. All combat
ships and aircraft involved carry full combat
ammunition loads.

Commander of Russia's Northern Fleet Vice-Admiral
Nikolai Maksimov, who is heading the task force,
earlier said that the current tour of duty in the
Mediterranean, which started on December 5, was aimed
at ensuring Russia's naval presence "in key
operational areas of the world's oceans" and
establishing conditions for secure Russian maritime
navigation.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12319863


Itar-Tass
February 1, 2008


Over 40 AF planes take part in joint exercise with
Navy - official


MOSCOW - Over 40 planes of the Russian Air Force are
taking part in the active phase of a joint AF-Navy
exercise on Friday, head of the information and public
relations department of the Russian Air Force Colonel
Alexander Drobyshevsky told Itar-Tass.

According to the official, “Twelve planes of Russia’s
long-range aviation got off the ground today to take
part in the final stage of manoeuvres with a strength
group of the Russian Navy.” He said, “Two strategic
bombers and missile carriers Tu-160, two Tu-95MS
bombers and eight long-range bombers Tu-22M3 are
currently in the air over the Arctic and Atlantic
Oceans.”

“A total over 40 AF aircraft, including the Tu-160 and
Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, the Tu-22M3
long-range bombers, the A-50 early radar warning
planes, Il-78 refuelling aircraft and fighter jets
MiG-31 and Su-27 are involved in the active phase of
the Air Force and Navy joint manoeuvres at the final
stage of the Navy strength group’s exercise,”
Drobyshevsky stressed.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12319375&PageNum=0



Itar-Tass
February 1, 2008


12 Russia long-range bombers take off for joint
exercise with Navy


MOSCOW - Twelve planes of Russia’s long-range aviation
got off the ground on Friday to take part in the final
stage of manoeuvres with a strength group of the
Russian Navy.

Head of the information and public relations
department of the Russian Air Force Colonel Alexander
Drobyshevsky told Itar-Tass, “Two strategic bombers
and missile carriers Tu-160, two Tu-95MS bombers and
eight long-range bombers Tu-22M3 are currently in the
air over the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.”





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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/01/europe/EU-GEN-France-Chad.php


Associated Press
February 1, 2008


EU postpones peacekeepers' deployment to Chad as
France sends new troops to country


PARIS - The European Union postponed the deployment of
advance units of a peacekeeping force for protecting
refugees from Darfur because of an upsurge of rebel
activity in neighboring Chad, where France was
reinforcing its troops on the ground.

A spokesman for the EU mission said a plane carrying
54 special forces from Ireland was canceled Thursday
evening due to reports of a rebel offensive in Chad, a
former French colony in central Africa.

Another plane from Austria, carrying cargo for the
force, was grounded Thursday in Tripoli, Libya, and
was to return to Austria, said Austrian Defense
Ministry spokesman Maj. Wolfgang Schneider.

The Irish special forces were to have helped prepare
for an EU peacekeeping mission in Chad and neighboring
Central African Republic, due to be up and running
early next month, said Commandant Dan Harvey, speaking
at the EU's military headquarters in Paris. The
deployment of the advance force could be postponed for
days, he said.

The force, known as EUFOR, has already met repeated
delays. It is aimed at protecting refugees from the
conflict-wracked Sudanese region of Darfur, as well as
Chadians and Central Africans displaced by turmoil in
their own countries.

Meanwhile Friday, France said it had sent about 150
supplementary troops to Chad as a "precautionary
measure" in response to the rebel offensive.

Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Thierry Burkhard said
the troops, stationed in Gabon, arrived in the Chadian
capital, N'Djamena, early Friday morning aboard two
transport planes to help "respond to the evolution of
the situation" on the ground in Chad.
....
Another French unit stationed in Gabon's capital,
Libreville, was on alert and could be moved to Chad if
the situation there further deteriorates, he added.

France has some 1,250 soldiers based in Chad, a former
colony that gained independence in 1960.

A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency said it has
evacuated more than 40 staff and NGO partners from the
town of Guereda, on the Sudanese border to Abeche,
about 250 kilometers (155 miles) east of the Chadian
capital. A day earlier, the group said it was
evacuating its employees after attacks by Chadian
rebel groups.

Essential staffers would remain in Guereda to "ensure
basic support" at two refugee camps which together
host some 30,000 refugees from Darfur, spokesman
William Spindler said Friday.

He also said the group had advised its staff in
N'Djamena to stay home following reports that
opposition groups are closing in on the capital.

French officials on Thursday raised the alert level
for the country's military forces in Chad after
intelligence reports said rebels were moving toward
N'Djamena. Rebel vehicles were spotted Thursday moving
south of Abeche, where French forces have a base,
Burkhard said.

EUFOR commandant Harvey said around 70 EU troops
currently are on the ground in Chad, setting up bases
for the force in N'djamena and Abeche. Their movements
will be restricted while the situation remains
unstable on the ground.

"We're waiting for the operational situation to
clarify itself," he said.

The EU force eventually is to total 3,700 soldiers. It
will draw partially on French troops already based in
Chad.

A Chad rebel group, UFDD, in November declared a
"state of war" against French and other foreign armies
in an apparent warning to the EUFOR mission.

The UFDD, a union of several rebel groups opposing
Chad's President Idriss Deby, has clashed sporadically
with the Chadian army since 2005. Last year, the UFDD
launched a failed attack on the capital, and French
forces helped warn Chad's military before the
attempted siege.



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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/01/content_7546630.htm


Xinhua News Agency
February 1, 2008


S Korea, U.S. to conduct massive joint military
exercises


SEOUL - South Korean and U.S. troops will conduct
massive joint military exercises in multiple locations
throughout South Korea in early March, the South
Korean-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) announced on
Friday.

The exercise, named Key Resolve, will be carried out
from March 2 to 7 and replace the RSOI drills, said a
news release by the CFC.

Key Resolve is designed to provide training for the
South Korean-U.S. Combined Forces Command in the
various aspects of reception, staging, onward
movement, and integration of forces from bases outside
of South Korea, the news release said.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said that 12,000 U.S.
troops stationed in South Korea and 6,000 other U.S.
troops stationed in the Pacific region and the United
States will participate in the Key Resolve drills.

The U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz
will also participate into the exercise, Yonhap said.

The South Korean and U.S. military will hold joint and
combined field-training exercise of Foal Eagle
together with the Key Resolve exercises, said the news
release of the CFC.

The U.S. and South Korean military on Friday informed
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) about
the Key Resolve exercises, it added.



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http://en.rian.ru/world/20080201/98169377.html


Russian Information Agency Novosti
February 1, 2008


Iran says still negotiating purchase of Russia's S-300
systems


-Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October last
year that Russia would not take into consideration
attempts to impose arms deal restrictions "based on
unilateral and politicized assessments". He said
deliveries of Russian weapons were aimed exclusively
at increasing the defense capability of the countries
receiving them, and at maintaining their stability.



TEHRAN - A non-official Iranian news agency quoted a
top diplomat as saying on Friday that Iran is still in
talks with Russia on buying advanced S-300 air defense
systems, despite an earlier denial from Moscow.

In December 2007, Russia's Federal Service for
Military-Technical Cooperation said that the issue of
the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to
Iran, raised by the media, was not a subject of
current negotiations and had not been discussed with
the Iranians.

"The statement that many considered to be a denial of
the negotiations on S-300 was simply a statement by a
Russian official who referred to the latest round of
military cooperation talks in Tehran [in December
2007]," Mehdi Safari said in an interview with the
Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

"However, the sides [Iran and Russia] are continuing
work to study the possibility of delivering these
[S-300] systems to Iran," Safari said.

The issue was first raised in December last year when
Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said
that Iran and Russia had agreed to deliver an
unspecified number of advanced S-300 air defense
complexes to the Islamic Republic under a previously
signed contract.

The advanced version of the S-300 missile system,
called S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over
150 kilometers (about 100 miles) and can intercept
ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high
altitudes, making this system an effective tool for
warding off possible air strikes on Iran.

U.S. authorities have repeatedly called on Russia to
stop arms deliveries to countries whose political
regimes Washington disapproves of, including Iran.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in
October last year that Russia would not take into
consideration attempts to impose arms deal
restrictions "based on unilateral and politicized
assessments". He said deliveries of Russian weapons
were aimed exclusively at increasing the defense
capability of the countries receiving them, and at
maintaining their stability.

Moscow supplied Iran with 29 Tor-M1 air defense
missile systems in late January under a $700-million
contract signed in late 2005.

Russia has also trained Iranian Tor-M1 specialists,
including radar operators and crew commanders.






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http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=22328&cid=58&p=01.02.2008


Voice of Russia
February 1, 2008


SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN ENTERS STRATEGIC DEAD-END


That is the verdict of experts of the American
Atlantic Council, one of the biggest research bodies
in Washington.

According to the experts, the level and form of NATO
presence in Afghanistan make it impossible to defeat
Taliban and Al-Qaida.

Despite the heavy presence of foreign troops and
international help to rebuild the Afghan economy,
there remains the danger of Afghanistan becoming an
insolvent state, conclude the US experts.

In view of this, they have called for an urgent review
of the strategy in Afghanistan.

All interested parties should join hands to work out a
more effective solution of the Afghan problem, they
advised.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, in which
Russia and China are the leading members plus India,
Iran and Pakistan, should join efforts to find a
solution to Afghan problem.

Commenting on the report by the Atlantic Council,
Viktor Korgun, an oriental expert, said:

"The report paints a clear picture of the real
situation in Afghanistan, especially concerning the
role and possibilities of the coalition forces in the
country; the second part of the report pertaining to
enlisting of SCO help is extremely important in terms
of halting the fighting and restoring peace in the
long suffering nation.

"Russia has long been proposing different forms of
cooperation and is ready to join in efforts to
normalize the situation in Afghanistan."

A number of prominent U.S senators have also called
for a review of the Afghan strategy and at
congressional hearings they explained that the need
for a review was due to the present low level of
security in the country, compared to 2001.

Practically repeating the report of the Atlantic
Council, the senators also declared that it is beyond
the ability of the coalition forces alone to restore
peace and stability in Afghanistan, meaning that other
interested parties must be asked to join the process
of normalizing the over-all situation in Afghanistan.



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http://www.interfax.com/3/360395/news.aspx


Interfax-Military
February 1, 2008


Russian strategic bombers out for exercise over
Atlantic, Arctic ocean


MOSCOW - Over 40 aircraft of the Russian Air Force,
including Tupolev Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic
bombers, are taking part in the active stage of a
joint exercise of the Russian Air Force and the Navy
on Friday, Air Force spokesman Col. Alexander
Drobyshevsky told Interfax-AVN.

"As of 9 a.m. Moscow time, two Tu-160 heavy bombers,
two Tu-95MS, eight Tu-22MZ long-range bombers, two
Beriev A-50 long-range radiolocation surveillance
aircraft, and two Ilyushin Il-78 tanker were
in air over the Arctic and Atlantic oceans,"
Drobyshevsky said.

Four Mikoyan MiG-31 and 12 Sukhoi Su-27 jet fighters
escort the Russian strategic bombers, the spokesman
said.

"Crewmembers drill reconnaissance tasks, missile and
bomb strikes at enemy's offensive naval groups and
mid-air fights. They are also involved in air
patrolling," Drobyshevsky said.
------------------------------------------------------
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-31720220080201


Reuters
February 1, 2008


Russia sends bombers, fighters to Atlantic, Arctic
By Guy Faulconbridge


MOSCOW - Russia sent fighters and long-range bombers
to the Arctic and North Atlantic on Friday to take
part in manoeuvres demonstrating revival of some of
the military power and reach it lost with the collapse
of the Soviet Union.
....
The air force said more than 40 aircraft would take
part in the manoeuvres, which follow similar exercises
by warships and bombers last month off the Atlantic
coast of France and Spain.

"Air force pilots will carry out practice in the areas
involving reconnaissance, missile-bombing attacks on a
navy attack force of a hypothetical enemy, air-to-air
combat and refuelling and patrolling," an air force
spokesman said.

The bomber group included two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic
bombers, codenamed "Blackjack" by NATO, two turbo-prop
Tu-95 "Bear" strategic bombers, and eight Tu-22
"Blinder" bombers. MiG-31 and Su-27 fighters were also
sent to the region.

Putin, who plans to draw on his popularity and retain
influence after the election, has renewed long-range
bomber missions and approved an upgrade of nuclear
forces he said was needed after NATO built up forces
close to Russia's borders.
....

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urveillance+cooperation+with+Russia/1135233725756


HELSINGIN SANOMAT
February 1, 2008


"Preparations are continuing"


Preparations are continuing in relation to Finland’s
participation in the NATO Response Force (NRF)
activities, [Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies said].

He did not say if the decision regarding the Finnish
involvement would be made before the NATO summit in
April.

Häkämies added, nevertheless, that NATO is changing
its NRF operations in such a way that "Finland’s
joining in will become easier".



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http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5625729/Belgium-commits-more-t\
roops-to-Afghanistan


Radio Netherlands
February 1, 2008


Belgium commits more troops to Afghanistan


Brussels - Belgium is going to deploy 100 soldiers and
four F-16 fighter planes in Afghanistan's Uruzgan
province.

For four months starting in September, the Belgian
forces will support Dutch troops stationed in the
Afghan province.

The move comes in response to a NATO call for more
troops to be deployed in Afghanistan.

At the moment, Belgium has 360 soldiers in
Afghanistan, most of them at the Kabul airport.

Meanwhile, Germany has rejected a more recent United
States call for more troops to be deployed in war-torn
southern Afghhanistan. In an unusually frank letter,
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had urged his German
counterpart Franz Josef Jung to agree to an extra
German deployment.

However, the government in Berlin says it prefers to
concentrate on reconstruction work in the northern
part of the country.

For some time, there has been disagreement within NATO
on the levels of troops committed by member states to
the Afghan force.

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Agence France-Presse
February 1, 2008


Chadian rebels advance on capital, French troops
boosted


-Ganascia, the French general in charge of the [EU]
mission, said the military stand-off in the country
could delay his mission "by a few days" thanks to
logistics problems, but not divert it....[He] added
that if the rebels confront the EU force "believe me,
I will face them down."
-French military reconnaissance planes, part of a
permanent force stationed in the former colony, were
flying over the ground to keep Chad's army informed.



NDJAMENA — Chadian government troops led by President
Idriss Beby Itno rushed back to defend Ndjamena after
rebel leaders said they had advanced to the gates of
the capital, a military source said, as France
prepared to boost its forces in Chad.

"We are at the gates of Ndjamena," one of the three
allied rebel leaders, Timan Erdimi, told AFP Thursday,
saying a rebel column of 300 pick-up trucks each
carrying up to 15 fighters had "divided into several
groups around Ndjamena".

"There's no fighting for now," he said by satellite
phone but issued an ultimatum: "If by tomorrow there
are no negotiations, there will be war."

Government soldiers had initially driven east to
intercept the rebels, but the head of state and a
small escort returned to Ndjamena in the afternoon and
formed a "belt" around the city, the military source
said.

The rebel alliance led by Erdimi, Mahamat Nouri and
Adbelwahid Aboud Makaye moved on Ndjamena after
crossing southern Chad....

The manoeuvring came on the day the advance guard of
an EU peacekeeping force was due to begin deploying.

The head of the new European peacekeeping force in the
country, General Jean-Philippe Ganascia, said any
rebel advance would only delay, not divert, his
mission.

France was to reinforce Friday its military force in
Chad with an extra company deployed in Ndjamena to
protect its nationals, a source close to Defence
Minister Herve Morin said.

"Precautionary measures are being taken for the French
nationals in the eventuality of trouble in Ndjamena,
including a reinforcement of the Sparrowhawk group,"
the source said.

The French source said: "Late in the afternoon some of
the rebels were seen 150-200 kilometres (95-125 miles)
from Ndjamena, as the others had apparently
dispersed."

The reinforcements, around 150 men previously
stationed in Libreville, were to fly in to Ndjamena
Friday morning.

Some 2,000 French soldiers have been deployed in Chad
since 1986 under the codename Sparrowhawk.

Morin late Thursday wound up a 36-hour visit to the
United States.

He said in Washington Thursday that Franch would
fulfil its commitments to Chad, which include
logistical support to the Chadian army and help with
intelligence.

As night fell on Ndjamena the streets emptied and
helicopters patrolled overhead, whilst France told its
1,500 citizens in the city to limit their movements.
....
Ganascia, the French general in charge of the mission,
said the military stand-off in the country could delay
his mission "by a few days" thanks to logistics
problems, but not divert it.

"I am not concerned (by the rebel manoeuvres) unless
during their offensive they threaten or attack
civilians, or the non-governmental organisations, or
UN personnel," he said in Abeche.

But he added that if the rebels confront the EU force
"believe me, I will face them down."

France, Chad's former colonial master, closed down its
school in Ndjamena as a precaution.

Observers had feared that rebels could begin a new
offensive before March. "They have a window to fight
before the effective deployment of the European force
fixes positions on the ground, which the Sudanese
want," one told AFP.

Both sides said French military reconnaissance planes,
part of a permanent force stationed in the former
colony, were flying over the ground to keep Chad's
army informed.
....
The last clash in eastern Chad claimed several hundred
lives on both sides in November 2007, and rebels last
moved on Ndjamena in April 2006.


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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/01/asia/AS-GEN-Afghan-Violence.php


Associated Press
February 1, 2008


NATO patrol shoots dead an Afghan truck driver


KABUL, Afghanistan - A NATO patrol shot and killed an
Afghan truck driver Friday, after he failed to heed
their calls to stop near a military airport in
southern Afghanistan, the alliance said in a
statement.

The incident happened near Kandahar airfield after the
truck driver approached the alliance's security
patrol, NATO said.

"The driver failed to heed the repeated warnings to
stop, including their deployment of flares," the
statement said. "A shot aimed at the ground was fired,
but the truck continued towards the patrol," it said.

The second shot was fired, which hit the driver and
stopped the vehicle.

The driver died of his wounds later at a military
hospital, the statement said.




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http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/vesti/vest.php?id=42830


Serbian Government
January 31, 2008


Serbian government will continue to fight for
Kosovo-Metohija


Belgrade – Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija
Slobodan Samardzic said today that the Serbian
government will do its utmost to defend the
territorial integrity of the country, and to keep
Kosovo-Metohija within the borders of Serbia.

Speaking at a press conference after the government’s
session today, Samardzic said that it was concluded at
the session that there are certain countries which
want to end the process of determining the status of
the province by recognising a declaration of
independence by the interim institutions of
Kosovo-Metohija.

The Minister said that things are not as certain as
they might appear to the public. He added that dates
such as February 6 or March 15 which keep appearing in
the media when it is expected that a unilateral
declaration of independence will be made are
incorrect.

He reiterated that Serbia rejects the arrival of an EU
mission to Kosovo-Metohija without a Security Council
resolution to approve it, and there is no legal basis
whatsoever for sending such a mission.

The Minister said that the public in the West is
increasingly questioning US statements about
recognising the independence of Kosovo-Metohija,
giving an article in the Washington Times written by a
former US official as an example.
....
------------------------------------------------------
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpK4Dxuor_agJ0nsoxAmDKQPupFw


Agence France-Presse
Feberuary 1, 2008


Serbia says it will use 'all peaceful means' to keep
Kosovo


BRATISLAVA — Serbia will use all peaceful means to
protect the country's territorial integrity if the
province of Kosovo declares independence, Serbian
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said Friday.

"We will use all the diplomatic, political, economic
and legal means to defend the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of our country," Jeremic said
during a visit to Bratislava. He was speaking at a
joint press conference with his Slovak counterpart Jan
Kubis.

Serbia's government had adopted a "secret plan" for
use if the mainly ethnic Albanian province of Kosovo,
declared independence, he said. But he refused to give
any details of what it entailed.

Hashim Thaci, prime minister of Kosovo, which has been
under United Nations control since 1999, has warned
that they could proclaim independence within days of
Serbia's presidential election on Sunday.

But Jeremic insisted independence would be a violation
of Serbian as well as international laws.

"The vast majority of Serbian citizens in our southern
province of Kosovo will choose not to associate
themselves with such a decision," he added.

Only a compromise solution would help maintain
stability and peace in the West Balkans, he added.
"Serbia is prepared to continue to lead a diplomatic
dialogue to find such a solution."

Kubis said that Slovakia would be among a handful of
EU unwilling to recognise the new state.

"In case of Kosovo's declaration of independence,
Slovakia will not be prepared to recognise this
independence and Kosovo," he said.

Slovakia fears that an independent Kosovo could be a
precedent for its own large Hungarian minority.


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Russian Information Agency Novosti
February 1, 2008


Poland, U.S. agree in principle on missile defense
base - FM


-The minister said Poland is seeking to strengthen its
missile defenses and thereby expand its capabilities
as a U.S. ally in Europe.


WASHINGTON - Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski
said Friday Warsaw and Washington have agreed in
principle on the deployment of a U.S. missile defense
base on Polish territory.

Sikorski is demanding security guarantees from the
United States as part of a deal to install 10
interceptors in Poland at talks in the U.S. this week.


The U.S. plans to deploy elements of its missile
defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic citing
a threat from Iran. Russia has fiercely opposed the
plans threatening to retarget nuclear missiles at the
two countries.

Sikorsky said he is satisfied that the principles on
which Poland have insisted on have been accepted, but
the negotiations will continue. He added the two
countries' experts have a lot more to do.

The minister said Poland is seeking to strengthen its
missile defenses and thereby expand its capabilities
as a U.S. ally in Europe.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after
the talks the Bush administration backs Warsaw's
request for aid in modernizing its missile defenses.

In Washington, Sikorski is still to meet with Vice
President Dick Cheney, and the president's national
security adviser Stephen Hadley.

Poland's new government, which came to power in
November, has taken a more cautious approach to the
U.S. proposal than former Prime Minister Jaroslaw
Kaczynski's cabinet, which supported the plan.



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http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12321420&PageNum=1


Itar-Tass
February 1, 2008


Ukraine’s Foreign Minister says neutrality impossible
for Ukraine


KIEV - A neutral country status is impossible for
Ukraine, believes Foreign Minister Vladimir Ogryzko.

“For a country as big as ours, neutrality is
impossible in principle,” he said in an interview
published by the Kiev-based newspaper Fakti.

Ogryzko believes that Ukraine’s accession to NATO will
speed up its European integration.
....
Ogryzko claimed that today’s world experience proves
the disadvantages of neutrality from the angle of view
of economy, politics and security, as well as shows
that pure neutrality is unfeasible.

He also claimed that a neutral status demands huge
financial resources.

“That’s why it’s hardly worthwhile speculating with
that notion,” Ogryzko claimed.

He stressed the absence of provisions on a non-bloc or
neutral status of this country in the national
Constitution and recalled that the Declaration of
Ukraine’s State Sovereignty only mentions the
intention to become a neutral country.



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http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=89973


Sofia News Agency
February 1, 2008


Romania, Cyprus Adamantly Oppose Independent Kosovo


-Bãsescu underscored that Kosovo's independence would
cast a shadow over the UN Charter and the Final Act of
the Helsinski Conference for Security and Cooperation
in Europe which had guaranteed a 60-year peace in
Europe.


Romanian President Traian Basescu stated firmly that
his country would not recognize independent Kosovo.

The Romanian President Traian Bãsescu stated Thursday
night that his country would not recognize Kosovo if
the Serbian province declared independence because
this would send a wrong message to other minorities
elsewhere and would damage traditional international
law.

"We will not recognize Kosovo's declaration of
independence no matter whether it is unilateral or
coordinated" Bãsescu promised at the German Marshall
Fund Conference in Brussels, adding that this would
lead to implosion of other multiethnic societies or
states where internal conflicts had been frozen for
some time.

Bãsescu underscored that Kosovo's independence would
cast a shadow over the UN Charter and the Final Act of
the Helsinski Conference for Security and Cooperation
in Europe which had guaranteed a 60-year peace in
Europe. He called for more negotiations between
Belgrade and Prishtina.

The foreign minister of Cyprus also stated that his
country opposed Kosovo's independence since it would
turn into a dangerous precedent in international
politics.

Spain, Greece, and Slovakia have also expressed
misgivings that Kosovo's recognition would spur other
separatist reactions.

Meanwhile the USA and most European countries declared
their readiness to recognize independent Kosovo
without a UN Security Council resolution.

Russia remains firmly opposed to Kosovo's independence
without Serbian consent.

The leadership in Prishtina have stated that they
would declare independence after the presidential
elections in Serbia are over.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/01/europe/EU-GEN-Slovakia-Kosovo.php


Associated Press
February 1, 2008


Slovakia not ready to recognize independent Kosovo, FM
says


BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Slovak Foreign Minister Jan
Kubis said Friday his country was not ready to
recognize Kosovo if the breakaway Serbian province
declares independence.

"In the event that Kosovo declares independence,
Slovakia will not be ready to recognize such a
declaration," Kubis said after meeting his Serbian
counterpart Vuk Jeremic.

Slovakia is among a group of EU members, including
Cyprus, Spain, and Romania, that have expressed
reservations about Kosovo's independence.

Prime Minister Robert Fico said in December it was
"hard to imagine" that his country would recognize
Kosovo if the province declares independence
unilaterally. That is expected to happen in February
or March.

Despite opposition from Serbia and Russia, the United
States and major European allies are expected to
recognize Kosovo's independence following the failure
of U.N.-led efforts to negotiate an agreement between
the two sides.

Jeremic said Friday that Serbia will use all possible
political, economic, diplomatic and other peaceful
means to maintain its sovereignty and unity if Kosovo
declares independence.

He said that Serbia is still ready to negotiate "a
compromise solution."




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http://www.warsawvoice.pl/newsX.php/5631


Warsaw Voice
February 1, 2008


Sikorski says Poland wants a NATO base on Polish soil


Warsaw - Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski,
who is in the U.S. for talks on a proposed missile
base, said Poland would like to host a major NATO
military base as part of a wider security relationship
with the U.S.

Sikorski is in Washington to discuss the conditions
for Poland agreeing to host U.S. interceptor missiles,
which are part of a planned U.S. missile defense
shield to protect Europe and the U.S. from ballistic
missile launches.

"We've been a NATO member since 1999, but we don't
have any hard NATO facilities on our territory,"
Sikorski said in an interview with Reuters. "The only
thing we have is a conference center. And we are a
border country of NATO."

The Bush administration wants to locate 10 interceptor
missiles in Poland and a radar installation in the
Czech Republic as part of a $3.5 bln missile defense
plan.

Russia has said it is deeply opposed to the plan and
Russian military leaders have spewed threatening
rhetoric that they will direct Russian missiles at
Poland if the system is implemented.

Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich asked the U.S.
earlier this month that Poland’s agreement to the plan
hinges on the U.S. bolstering Poland’s air defenses.
Now, Sikorski is adding a NATO base to the wish list.

When it suggested that the missile shield would be a
military installation, Sikorski responded: "It's
proposed in a very remote part of Poland, and, it
would be, as you know, quite small. It wouldn't be
like the kinds of bases that are in Britain, or
Germany, or Italy or Turkey."

"The prospect of American troops on our soil ... is
something that we would welcome."

Also on Thursday, Sikorski used the word "blackmail"
to describe the pressure Poland has been under to
abandon the missile base.

"As many of you know, Poland has come under political
pressure, and has even been blackmailed by some of our
neighbors, who fiercely oppose this project," Sikorski
said at the American Enterprise Institute think tank.
....

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http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jhISFvUnwSeXl8dGIWFjwqxa-lRg


Agence France-Presse
February 1, 2008


Chad military, rebels clash near capital


NDJAMENA — Chadian government troops clashed with
rebel forces near Ndjamena on Friday, with both sides
claiming victory in a battle that could eventually
decide control of the capital Ndjamena.

Chad's military general staff said in a statement the
army had engaged a large group of rebels at Massaguet
about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of the
capital....

Rebel leader Timan Erdimi insisted his side had won
the day and vowed the next clash would be in Ndjamena
itself.

"We completely smashed them, but Deby was able to
escape. Now we are between Massaguet and Ndjamena. We
are coming to Ndjamena. I think we will be there
tonight (Friday) or tomorrow (Saturday) morning,"
Erdimi said by satellite phone.

Erdimi joined forces with fellow rebel leaders Mahamat
Nouri and Adbelwahid Aboud Makaye in mid-December
after a previous peace pact with President Deby fell
apart.

An Ndjamena military source said President Deby had
been at the front but had regained the capital.
....
France meanwhile flew a combat unit of 126 extra
troops into Chad to join the 1,100 permanently posted
there.

But Air France said all access to Ndjamena airport had
been blocked, preventing its scheduled flights from
landing.

The capital itself was practically deserted Friday
afternoon, with a large military presence on the
streets and helicopters flying overhead. The area
around the president's office was sealed off and
protected by tanks.

In a letter released Friday at the United Nations in
New York, Chad told the Security Council it would to
use its right of self-defence to repel "the aggression
orchestrated" by Sudan.

If necessary, they would pursue the rebels across the
border, it added.

Chad accuses Sudan of having united and armed the
rebels.
....
On Monday, a rebel convoy of 300 pick-ups, each
capable of carrying between 10 and 15 men, approached
Ndjamena after leaving rear bases across the border in
western Sudan's Darfur, in the biggest such push since
April 2006.

Their offensive began the week an EU peacekeeping
force was due to start deploying advance troops in
Chad and neighbouring Central African Republic....

The European mission, EUFOR, announced Friday a
temporary delay in troop flights to Ndjamena, one with
a dozen Austrian soldiers and two with around 50 Irish
soldiers and equipment.

At full strength, the force will consist of 3,700
men....
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/02/01/chad.france/


CNN News
February 1, 2008


France moving troops to Chad


*140 French troops to be sent from garrisons in Gabon

*Mission is to safeguard French citizens, Defense
Ministry says

*Move comes in wake of reports of fighting between
Chadian army, rebels

*Rebels seek to overthrow President Idriss Deby



PARIS, France - The French Defense Ministry said
Friday it is dispatching 140 soldiers from Gabon to
Chad's capital of N'Djamena as a precaution to protect
French citizens after renewed fighting between
government troops and rebels.

The ministry spokesman said concerns were raised over
the safety of French citizens by reports the Chad
military had been fighting a rebel force hostile to
President Idriss Deby north and east of N'Djamena.

A ministry spokesman said because of rebel activity in
the former French colony, the decision was made to
reinforce the garrison of French troops stationed in
the city to "ensure the security of French citizens."
....


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http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1201898822.04


Agence France-Presse
February 1, 2008


Ukraine to offer Europe former Soviet anti-missile
radars


KIEV - Ukraine is offering western Europe access to
its radars, previously a part of the former Soviet
missile defence system, the Ukrainian space agency
said Friday.

"We envisage offering their use to Europe which is
trying to create its own security system," the
agency's director Yury Alexeyev told Interfax news
agency.

"Maybe Europe will be interested. We are going to
modernise them to keep them in active service," he
added.

The offer comes after the lower Russian house of
parliament, the State Duma, voted on January 25 to
annul a Russian-Ukrainian accord on joint use of radar
sites at Mukacheve in western Ukraine and Sebastopol.

A Russian junior defence minister said the reason
behind the cancellation was the stated desire of the
former Soviet republic to join NATO, the North
Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Earlier this month, Ukraine asked to be allowed to
join the alliance's Membership Action Plan - a
precursor to membership - at the next NATO summit,
which will take place in Bucharest on April 2-4.

Russia has warned that NATO membership for Ukraine
would "seriously complicate relations" between the two
countries.





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Agence France-Presse
February 1, 2008


Kosovo independence bid eyed warily by several EU
states


-"Cyprus, for reasons of principle, cannot recognize
and will not recognise a unilateral declaration of
independence," Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato
Kozakou-Marcoullis said on Thursday.
"This is an issue of principle, of respect of
international law, but also an issue of concern that
it will create a precedent in international
relations."


ATHENS - As the European Union struggles for a unified
response to Kosovo's expected declaration of
independence, several EU states - mainly those near
the Serb province - fear the move could destabilise
the historically volatile Balkan region.

"Certain countries fear that a unilateral declaration
of independence threatens peace in the Balkans, while
others are concerned about a negative precedent in
international law," a European diplomat in Athens told
AFP.

"And then there is Spain, which faces its own
separatist movement," he said.

Romania, Cyprus and Slovakia were the loudest to state
their opposition this week, all vowing not to
recognise Kosovo if it declares independence.

Greece and Bulgaria are also wary of potentially
explosive border changes in their area while Spain and
Slovakia cannot ignore the possible effects on their
respective Basque and Hungarian minorities.

Spain faces an additional challenge as its
northeastern region of Catalonia has long sought
greater autonomy.

"What message are we sending to multi-ethnic societies
or to other states that are facing ethnic issues or
frozen conflicts?" Romanian President Traian Basescu
told a conference in Brussels.

"We could be casting a shadow on the United Nations
charter and the Helsinki Final Act," he said, adding
that these are "laws which guaranteed 60 years of
peace in Europe."

Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis struck a similar
tone on Friday after a meeting with Serbian
counterpart Vuk Jeremic, arguing that unilateral steps
have "a great destabilisation potential."

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders are expected to
announce in coming days that they are breaking away
from Serbia, a move opposed by Belgrade and its ally
Russia.

The United States stands ready to recognise an
independent Kosovo, as are many European Union states,
with the EU set to deploy a justice mission to the
territory to help oversee the transition from UN to
local rule.

Greece has not publicly said whether it will recognise
Kosovo, but the Greeks are averse to a unilateral move
influenced by external pressure, says Theodore
Kouloumbis from the Greek Foundation for Foreign and
European Politics (ELIAMEP), pointing to Washington's
keen interest in the affair.

Bulgaria - which has a 350-kilometre (220-mile) border
with Serbia and lies only 45 kilometres east of Kosovo
- is just as guarded in its statements.

"We will not be among the states to immediately
recognise an independent Kosovo," Bulgarian President
Georgi Parvanov said Wednesday, while his foreign
minister last month said that Bulgaria's position is
"closer to that of the US than that of Russia."

Cyprus - which holds elections on February 17 - has
seen all this before.

The island has been divided into ethnic Greek and
Turkish parts since 1974, and the breakaway Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared
independence in 1983, though it is only recognised by
Turkey.

"Cyprus, for reasons of principle, cannot recognize
and will not recognise a unilateral declaration of
independence," Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato
Kozakou-Marcoullis said on Thursday.

"This is an issue of principle, of respect of
international law, but also an issue of concern that
it will create a precedent in international
relations."

In Spain's case, Kosovo is already being held up as an
example by separatists in the northern Basque Country.

In January, leaders of armed Basque separatist group
ETA sought to justify their own push for independence
from Spain by naming Kosovo and Scotland as examples
in an interview in the online edition of Basque
newspaper Gara.

The unnamed ETA leaders pointed to the example of
Kosovo and Scotland to argue that the group "is not
talking about utopias".

While Spain officially refuses to link the two cases,
Spanish officials privately admit that Kosovo is a
"poisonous" issue for Madrid.





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Deutsche Welle
February 1, 2008


EU Readies Mission for Independent Kosovo


The European Union is finalizing preparations for a
civilian mission to stabilize the situation in Kosovo,
Germany's foreign minister said. Serbians said they
will do everything the can to prevent Kosovar
independence.

Steinmeier said the 27 EU members were preparing for a
decision on independence by the leaders of the
breakaway Serbian republic.

"It does not take much fantasy to guess what the
decision would be," Steinmeier said on Friday, Feb. 1,
after talks in Berlin with his Swedish counterpart
Carl Bildt, a former EU mediator for Bosnia.

The civilian mission will number around 1,800 people,
most of them police and justice experts, one diplomat
told the AFP news agency.

The launch of the mission, which requires unanimous
support, could come quickly, depending on how events
unfold in Kosovo and Serbia, where a second round
run-off presidential election is taking place Sunday.

Bildt said it was necessary to maintain what he
described as the "semi-consensus" by EU members on
Kosovo, but predicted a "long period of difficulty" if
Kosovo goes ahead and declares independence
unilaterally.

Discord among EU members

The length of the EU's mission, expected to cost some
200 million euros ($296 million) in 2008, has not been
finalized. But diplomats have regularly spoken of
Kosovo being under "supervised independence" for five
to 10 years.

The bloc has not been able to reach agreement on
whether to recognize Kosovo, should it declare
independence.

Some countries, particularly Spain, are concerned a
unilateral declaration of independence on the part of
ethnic Albanians in the Serbian province would
strengthen nationalist tendencies among minorities in
their own nations.

Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's recently elected prime
minister, has said his government could proclaim
independence within days of Serbia's presidential
election on Sunday.

Serbia's "secret plan"

Serbia is strongly opposed to independence for the
province, which is 90 percent populated by Albanians,
and has repeatedly said it will use all peaceful means
at its disposal to protect its territorial integrity.

"We will use all the diplomatic, political, economic
and legal means to defend the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of our country," Serbian Foreign
Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Friday during a visit to
Bratislava. He was speaking at a joint press
conference with his Slovak counterpart Jan Kubis.

Jeremic added that the Belgrade government had
developed a "secret plan" that would be put in place
if Kosovo declared independence. He would not,
however, elaborate on the plan's details.

"The vast majority of Serbian citizens in our southern
province of Kosovo will choose not to associate
themselves with such a decision," Jeremic said.

Serbian poll could influence independence

Experts warn that declaring independence could trigger
further conflicts, with Albanians in Serbia and Serbs
in northern Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina following
suit.

Steinmeier and Bildt renewed the EU's offer of
visa-free travel for Serbs, a free trade agreement and
money to help more Serbs study in Europe.

The German minister said he was uncertain whether the
offer would affect the outcome of the run-off
presidential election in Serbia on Sunday. In the
first round of balloting, ultranationalist Tomislav
Nikolic, a Euroskeptic, won the most votes.

Experts in the EU expect Kosovo to declare
independence immediately if Nikolic wins the
presidential election. A win by pro-European incumbent
Boris Tadic, however, could delay such an announcement
by 10 days, experts said.

Kosovo has been under United Nations administration
since a NATO-led campaign ended violence there in
1999.







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http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=2784&CID=2740&IID=&lng=eng


ArmeniaNow
February 1, 2008


Karabakh Commentary: Aliyev’s threats must be taken
seriously
By Jirair Haratunian
Past Chairman of the Armenian Assembly of America
Board of Directors


[Edited]


-American indulgence towards Baku has served to
embolden Aliyev. Washington views Azerbaijan as a
strategic asset....
-Richard Lugar...minority leader of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee...asserted, “The long term
(American) interests are not to allow Russia to be
dominant in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.”
-[T]he Nagorno Karabakh question has been inserted
onto the agenda of the United Nations General
Assembly.
It is part of a resolution submitted by the GUAM
coalition of states comprised of Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan, and Moldova, to condemn the independence
efforts of Nagorno Karabakh and other frozen conflict
regions of the former Soviet Union.
Ironically, this movement coincides with a
contradictory effort led by the United States that
calls for the independence of Kosovo.


One of Armenia’s top generals, Colonel General Seyran
Ohanian, recently cautioned that Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev’s frequent threats to resume war against
Karabakh and Armenia must be taken seriously.

Aliyev’s latest foray was a proclamation that “War
with Armenia is not over; only the first stage is
over.”

He added, “Nagorno Karabakh will never be
independent.”

Aliyev’s bellicosity aside, his regime budgeted one
billion dollars this year to modernize and train its
military forces.

That billion dollar military budget is what prompted
General Ohanian to caution that Karabakh’s and
Armenia’s security problems are real.

Flushed with oil revenues, Baku’s diplomatic posture
regarding Armenia and Karabakh has become publicly
arrogant and uncompromising.

Unfortunately, American indulgence towards Baku has
served to embolden Aliyev. Washington views Azerbaijan
as a strategic asset in its confrontation with Teheran
over Iran’s growing nuclear capacity.

Coupled with this are the massive investments, largely
sponsored by Washington, for the new Caspian pipelines
that carry petroleum and natural gas to Western
markets from Azerbaijan through Georgia, to Turkey.

These, of course, circumvent Armenia and were designed
to bypass Russian territory.

Washington’s motives are as much political as
economic.

Proof of this were statements made in Baku by Senator
Richard Lugar, Republican from Indiana and minority
leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who
asserted, “The long term (American) interests are not
to allow Russia to be dominant in the South Caucasus
and Central Asia.”

Little wonder then that Azerbaijan believes geography
and abundance of oil will ultimately succeed in
imposing its will on Armenia and Karabakh, and
confident enough to threaten war with impunity.

It must be said though, that United States and
European diplomats have cautioned Baku, perhaps too
mildly, against renewed warfare.

They have in mind, of course, that the billions of
dollars invested in Caspian oil production and
delivery could be jeopardized in the event of a new
conflict.

Also, during their last visit to the region, the
co-chairmen of the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group cautioned
that war would be devastating for both countries.
Instead, they lobbied for their latest written
proposal as the best basis for an agreed framework for
peace negotiations.

Where the Karabakh problem is heading is hard to
discern.

But what is clear is that Azerbaijan continues a
ceaseless political and economic offensive against
Armenia on multiple diplomatic fronts.

Currently, the Nagorno Karabakh question has been
inserted onto the agenda of the United Nations General
Assembly.

It is part of a resolution submitted by the GUAM
coalition of states comprised of Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan, and Moldova, to condemn the independence
efforts of Nagorno Karabakh and other frozen conflict
regions of the former Soviet Union.

Ironically, this movement coincides with a
contradictory effort led by the United States that
calls for the independence of Kosovo.

Its supporters repeatedly claim that Kosovo is a
unique case that needs prompt resolution.

They assert that Kosovo is not a precedent for other
unresolved separatist conflicts.

Russia disagrees and the Secretary General of the
Council of Europe, Terry Davis, is unsure.

He told the news agency Trend that it is very hard to
predict the influence of the declaration of
independence of Kosovo on Nagorno Karabakh and other
“frozen conflicts.”

In any event it appears certain that Kosovo will be
declared an independent state in the near future
despite Russia’s objections, without a UN Security
Council endorsement and, even the unanimous
concurrence of the European Union.

Is Kosovo a precedent for Karabakh’s independence?

The answer is ambivalent.

Nonetheless, Baku is fearful of Kosovo’s independence
because it strengthens Armenian claims, and Armenia
has said that the Nagorno Karabakh question is
predicated on its own historic roots.

However, there are more similarities than differences
between Kosovo’s circumstances and Karabakh’s.

Each emerged as a result of military actions that
defeated Serbian and Azerbaijan armed forces.
....
Thus, whether or not Kosovo constitutes a precedent in
the eyes of Kosovo’s western supporters, they will be
hard pressed to choose between the validity of one
over the other....







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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/01/content_7542161.htm


Xinhua News Agency
February 2, 2008


Vietnam plays active role in UNSC meetings


-Concerning the Kosovo issue, Vietnam has voiced its
support to dialogue among the relevant parties to
reach agreements which take the legitimate interests
of the relevant peoples into consideration on the
basis of respecting basic principles of international
law, especially, the principles of independence,
sovereignty, and national territorial integrity.


HANOI - Vietnam actively made speeches at 27 meetings
of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in
January, expressing its views on global and regional
issues, including those relating to Myanmar, Kosovo,
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Palestine
and Nepal, local newspaper Pioneer reported Friday.

Through the meetings, Vietnam affirmed its stance of
facilitating dialogue, peacefully dealing with
conflicts, and highlighting the UN's contribution to
the process, and stressed the significance of economic
development and stable life of people to sustainable
peace in some countries, the newspaper quoted the
Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying.

Regarding the situations in Myanmar, Vietnam's
viewpoint is that Myanmar is not a threat to regional
and international peace and security.

Vietnam supports the role of constructive cooperation
between the UN and Myanmar on basic principles of the
UN Charter, and peaceful dialogue to solve issues.
However, Myanmar people should make the final
decision.

Concerning the Kosovo issue, Vietnam has voiced its
support to dialogue among the relevant parties to
reach agreements which take the legitimate interests
of the relevant peoples into consideration on the
basis of respecting basic principles of international
law, especially, the principles of independence,
sovereignty, and national territorial integrity.

Vietnam is the UNSC's non-permanent member in the
2008-2009 term.





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http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23147650-5001028,00.html?fro\
m=public_rss


Agence France-Presse
February 2, 2008


Rice seeks to bolster NATO force


Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is
to hold talks in Britain next week to help bolster
NATO's role in Afghanistan.

The move comes after a warning from Canada that it
could withdraw its large contingent of troops unless
NATO boosts its support on the ground, and as Germany
has refused to deploy its forces in the battle-ravaged
south.

Dr Rice will leave Washington Tuesday for talks the
next day with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and
Foreign Secretary David Miliband about Afghanistan as
well as Iraq and Iran, spokesman Sean McCormack said.

NATO's role in Afghanistan is set to figure high on
the agenda of the talks, amid growing US fears that
its allies could be about to abandon a strategic
cornerstone in its war on terror.

Over the past months Dr Rice has been "looking at our
efforts in Afghanistan, making sure we have the right
resources matched up with the right strategy," Mr
McCormack said.

He did not react directly to Germany's rejection of an
urgent US call for combat troops in battle-ravaged
southern Afghanistan, saying it was a decision for
each state to make.

"It's going to be up to the individual states to make
decisions about the allocation of resources, whether
to allocate resources, how they're going to
participate in the mission," he said.

Nor would he comment directly on a report that US
Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent an unusually stern
letter to Germany last month demanding combat troops,
helicopters and paratroopers for Afghanistan and
charging that some NATO states were not pulling their
weight.

But Mr McCormack said: "I won't make a secret of the
fact that we are encouraging all of our NATO allies to
do everything they can in terms of contributing
resources."
....
"The greatest threat to Afghanistan's future is
abandonment by the international community," Richard
Boucher, the State Department's pointman for
Afghanistan, told a Senate hearing on Thursday.

Belgium announced Friday it would send four fighter
jets and an extra 140 soldiers to Afghanistan this
year, as the United States ratcheted up pressure on
its NATO allies for reinforcements.




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http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/vesti/vest.php?id=42859


Serbian Government
February 1, 2008


Samardzic calls upon EU to respect UN Charter,
Serbia’s sovereignty


Belgrade – Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija
Slobodan Samardzic has called upon the EU to respect
the UN Charter and Serbia’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty as an internationally recognised country,
and not to ignore its opposition to the EU mission
which is expected to arrive in Kosovo-Metohija.

In a statement to the news agency Tanjug, Samardzic
said that it is necessary for the EU to respect the UN
Charter and Serbia’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty.

Serbia has clearly stated that it is against an EU
mission to Kosovo-Metohija since the arrival of the
mission would be a gross violation of Resolution 1244.


The Minister recalled that Serbian parliament
concluded that the illegal deployment of an EU mission
would be a violation of the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and constitutional order of Serbia, and said
that in view of that it is worrying that European
officials ignore Serbia's postion and announce that
they will continue with preparations for the mission's
deployment.

He underlined that Serbia insists on respect for its
internationally recognised borders and that only the
UN Security Council can reach a decision to approve
the deployment of an international mission in Serbia.


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Voice of Russia
February 1, 2008


G.O.P. QUESTIONS BUSH STRATEGY FOR KOSOVO


A few prominent members of the Republican Party of the
United States have urged the Bush Administration to
drop plans for the recognition of sovereign Kosovo and
renew its efforts to find a negotiated solution to the
Kosovo problem.

Ex-Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, the
ex-Undersecretary of State for arms control and
international security John Bolton, and the
ex-Assistant Secretary of Defense for international
security Peter Rodman have placed an ad in the
Washington Times to warn the Bush Administration of
unpredictable repercussions of its moves in the
Balkans.

They fear that arbitrary recognition of Kosovar
sovereignty will set an example to other troubled
areas.

Already, Basque separatists and Turkish-controled
North Cyprus have started mentioning the Kosovar quest
for sovereignty.

But the White House’s formula for a Kosovo
accommodation affects relations with Russia.

Which is undesirable, the ad in the Washington Times
says, because the outcome of American efforts to
settle other international problems depends on
cooperation with Russia.

In principle, such views are objective enough, though
till recently U.S. politicians abstained from making
public statements on that score.

Till recently the overwhelming majority of American
politicians gave preference to the course towards the
forceful break-up of Serbia.

Yelena Guskova, head of the Centre for Study Modern
Balkan Crisis, says:

The Balkan crisis of the 90s offers proof that this is
a well-thought-out and unilateral policy. The policy
aimed at splitting the multinational [Yugoslav] state.
If we start analyzing the situation, we’ll see that no
support was given to Serbs.

Meaning, first of all, the United States and its
closest partners.

The fact that prominent members of the U.S. Republican
Party begin to voice their disapproval of the Bush
administration policy does not mean that Washington’s
course towards Kosovo will undergo changes.

There are reasons to believe that the current
criticism is aimed at the Serbs.

The second round of the presidential elections will
take place in Serbia this coming Sunday.

And Washington does not conceal its interest in the
pro-Western candidate scoring a victory.

In this context, the publication in The Washington
Times can be regarded as a pre-election move.




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http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/foreign/display.var.2014124.0.Poland_agrees_to_h\
ost_US_missile_defence_system.php


Associated Press
February 1, 2008


Poland agrees to host US missile defence system


-"[The missiles] enable Poland to be a stronger Nato
ally with the United States".


Poland has agreed in principle to US plans to install
a missile defence system on its territory.

Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said he was satisfied
the United States would deal with security problems
Poland had raised as part of an eventual deal.

In a joint appearance with Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, the two officials suggested the US
would in return help with Polish air defences, as
Poland had sought.

advertisementSikorski said an agreement would allow
the US to install 10 interceptors as part of a
long-range European missile defence system.

Russia has strongly objected to the missile defence
plans.

"The reinforced Polish air defences are not directed
against anybody," Sikorski said, adding that they
would "enable Poland to be a stronger Nato ally with
the United States".



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http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Briefing/2008/02/01/g\
erman_frigate_saves_14_lebanese_seamen/1789/


United Press International
February 1, 2008


German frigate saves 14 Lebanese seamen


-German lawmakers last September extended the mission
- the first German ***military contribution to the
Middle East*** since World War II - for one more year.



BEIRUT, Lebanon - A German navy frigate successfully
assisted a Lebanese ship in distress off the coast of
Lebanon.
....
The Bavaria dispatched one of its helicopters that
pulled the men off board, after the ship's captain had
made a distress call. One seaman was slightly injured,
the online version of German daily Bild said.

Germany heads the seven-nation UNIFIL naval force that
has the task of ***securing the Lebanese coast*** with
two frigates, a supply ship and two speedboats.

The country has more than 800 soldiers patrolling the
seas for weapons smuggling and other illegal
activities that could disturb the peace process.

German lawmakers last September extended the mission -
the first German military contribution to the Middle
East since World War II - for one more year.


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