Nato discusses Moscow’s offer

BRUSSELS – Nato ministers yesterday assessed how the planned US anti-missile bases in Europe could be integrated into the alliance’s defences and considered the impact of Russia’s offer to include an Azerbaijani radar base in the missile shield.

The defence ministers will also seek to increase training for the Afghan military and examine how to reduce the rising toll of civilian casualties in Afghanistan. They are likely to discuss US claims that Iran is helping arm Taliban insurgents fighting Nato’s 36 000 strong military force there _ a claim Afghanistan’s defence minister played down Thursday.Allied diplomats said the ministers would aim to start the planning that would lead to a decision next year whether the alliance develops its own anti-missile defences.These would be ‘bolted on’ to the US shield to provide cover for all Nato nations from short – and long-range attacks.”We must all be interested in building up protection for the population of Europe as a whole,” said German Defence minister Franz Josef Jung, as he arrived for the two-day meeting.The US says its proposal to install 10 anti-missile interceptors in Poland and a radar unit in the Czech Republic would protect most of Europe from the threat of long-range attack from Iran or elsewhere in the Middle East.But it would leave Turkey, Greece and parts of the Balkans exposed.The proposed Nato short-range defences would aim to fill the gap.Russia has reacted furiously to the US plans, threatening to retaliate by pulling out of a key arms control treaty and point warheads at Europe for the first time since the Cold War.However, at the G-8 summit last week, President Vladimir Putin seemed to take a more open approach, suggesting Russia could cooperate with the West on an anti-missile radar base in Azerbaijan.”I will certainly underscore our interest in exploring with them President Putin’s proposal with respect to radar in Azerbaijan,” US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday on his way to the Nato meeting.Nampa-APThey are likely to discuss US claims that Iran is helping arm Taliban insurgents fighting Nato’s 36 000 strong military force there _ a claim Afghanistan’s defence minister played down Thursday.Allied diplomats said the ministers would aim to start the planning that would lead to a decision next year whether the alliance develops its own anti-missile defences.These would be ‘bolted on’ to the US shield to provide cover for all Nato nations from short – and long-range attacks.”We must all be interested in building up protection for the population of Europe as a whole,” said German Defence minister Franz Josef Jung, as he arrived for the two-day meeting.The US says its proposal to install 10 anti-missile interceptors in Poland and a radar unit in the Czech Republic would protect most of Europe from the threat of long-range attack from Iran or elsewhere in the Middle East.But it would leave Turkey, Greece and parts of the Balkans exposed.The proposed Nato short-range defences would aim to fill the gap.Russia has reacted furiously to the US plans, threatening to retaliate by pulling out of a key arms control treaty and point warheads at Europe for the first time since the Cold War.However, at the G-8 summit last week, President Vladimir Putin seemed to take a more open approach, suggesting Russia could cooperate with the West on an anti-missile radar base in Azerbaijan.”I will certainly underscore our interest in exploring with them President Putin’s proposal with respect to radar in Azerbaijan,” US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday on his way to the Nato meeting.Nampa-AP