The behavior of the Kremlin requires vigilance, agreed NATO
The NATO summit in Warsaw proved to be more useful than the usual long-winded meetings, says the WSJ. Le Figaro reports: the final communiqué said that the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s role in the Ukrainian crisis does not directly threaten the Alliance, but “infringes on the European order based on norms.” Scaparotti, complains in an interview that “large-scale exercises of Russian be a complete surprise to us”.
“Held every two years, the NATO summit this weekend turned out to be more useful than conventional multilateral and long-winded meetings. Its main purpose was to strengthen the defense of Eastern Europe, especially in Poland and the Baltic States, and in this respect, the Alliance has succeeded,” says the editors of The Wall Street Journal.
“The threat from a revanchist Russia was in first place on the agenda and a United front was of particular importance given the vote in Britain for an exit from the EU,” the newspaper said.
The Alliance approved the deployment of four battalions in the Baltic States and in Poland. “Russian forces are able to prevail over these battalions with a full-scale invasion, but NATO forces will be able to prevent the occupation of “little green men”, similar to that which the Kremlin carried out in the Crimea”, – says the publication.
“One of the areas where the summit failed to meet expectations, is Ukraine. Obama and Merkel still clinging to the failed peace process, rather than to provide Kiev with defensive weapons necessary to prevent further territorial seizures by Russia”, – said the WSJ.
Columnist for the Wall Street Journal’s Julian E. Barnes notes that ” the political leaders of NATO will be required to explain Russia steps of the Alliance.” On Wednesday, representatives of the Alliance will meet with presidential envoy to NATO Grushko, who has “promised to raise tough questions about the military activities of the Alliance,” the article says.
In addition to the deployment of forces in Poland and the Baltic States, the Alliance has other important tasks, including the development of the concept of relations with the EU in the Central Mediterranean and deciding how to shape its black sea fleet.
The new commander of NATO forces in Europe, American General Scaparrotti, mandated to develop a new military strategy for deterrence, and create protective mechanisms to prevent inadvertent confrontation with Russia.
Former U.S. Secretary of state Madeleine Albright argues: the progress of NATO’s relations with Moscow in the coming months will largely depend on the behavior of Russia, and whether Putin to implement peace agreement in Ukraine.
The worst scenario, according to some U.S. officials and the allied countries – the likelihood that Russia or NATO might misinterpret the teachings of consolidated military forces of the other side, confusing them with offensive actions, reports Barnes.
“It is important to be connected, it will help us to understand the intentions of each other,” he said Scaparrotti.
The Supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe, General Curtis Scaparotti in the interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung columnist Daniel Bressler discussed the need to expand fields of communication with Moscow.
“After the summit in Wales in 2014 we increased their activity in all areas: on land, in the air and on the sea. This also should include and present the Warsaw decision on the missile defense system. This is an integral components of the deterrent effect”. The General is convinced that in light of the current decisions of the NATO countries of the Baltic region can feel secure.
But, along with the deterrence in relations with Russia should remain a place for dialogue, said Scaparotti, commenting on the forthcoming meeting of the Council Russia-NATO. “I see the need to expand the areas of communications, moreover, greater transparency from the Russian side. It is also necessary to prevent various incidents, including in international airspace. Russians need to change their strategy to ensure that we were able to achieve in this case, the level of transparency and trust.”
Even during the cold war, he said, between Moscow and the West there was an open channel of communication. It is very important to inform each other about their intentions. “We inform the Russian of time, the composition of the participants and the nature of our exercises, the General said. – Meanwhile, large-scale exercises of Russian, which they organize with lightning speed, be a complete surprise to us. We prefer not to inform, and this is a problem”.
“Do I need to consider Russia as a “threat”? Strictly speaking, no, NATO is responsible avoiding this definition in the final Declaration of the Warsaw summit,” writes the special correspondent of Le Figaro, Alain Barlue. “The role that Russia plays in the Ukrainian crisis and the annexation of its Crimea, are among the main threats to Alliance security, do not qualify directly as “threatening” and described more diplomatically as “encroaching on the European order based on norms.”
“On the one hand, NATO countries reaffirmed the power increase their military presence in Eastern Europe, but announced a meeting with the ambassadors of the Council Russia-NATO, which will be held in the Wake of the summit, on July 13, a space for dialogue, frozen for two years due to the Ukrainian crisis,” – said the journalist.
The summit was announced, and other points of view sharply at odds with the final statement writes Barlue. “Polish President Andrzej Duda rashly declared that “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has destroyed the international order as we know it”, and rejected the idea of a dialogue with Moscow.
In General you should consider Russia as a threat or as a partner? Thomas Gomar, Director of the French Institute of international relations (IFRI), said: “It’s a partner, because without Russia, the global issues, such as Iran or Syria, it is impossible. But this opponent, as the country takes an aggressive stance, particularly in Ukraine, and Intrusive – in some European capitals”. Thus, because of the ability of Russia to create instability” NATO structure should remain attentive and vigilant”, said the expert.
According to ABC, NATO leaders expressed concern about the destabilizing role of Russia in the Western Balkans, in countries such as Montenegro (which in may signed the instrument of accession to NATO, Macedonia or Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
“We must act in unity and to support those countries where we are seeing the same destabilizing actions that are there in other countries – Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova,” – said the source. He was referring to the rise of Pro-Russian political sentiments, marked by the rejection of NATO and the EU, says the author.
According to the newspaper, this is one of the issues that heads of States and governments of NATO countries analyzed at an official dinner at the Presidential Palace in Poland. “This first event was attended by the presidents of Sweden and Finland – countries that are not in NATO, but associated with him more closely in conditions of hyperactivity of the Russian military in the Arctic,” the article says.
“Analysis of the Russian threat” was a Central theme of the dinner, which took place in the same hall where, in 1955, Khrushchev and the leaders of six other socialist countries signed the Warsaw Pact.
The allies insisted on the need to keep “firm and United” in the face of expansionstage course Putin has chosen a “dual track policy” in relations with the Kremlin – a policy of “deterrence and dialogue” at the same time, the article says.
At the NATO summit Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said it was time to stop the confrontation with Moscow and to seek partnerships with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the correspondent of The Financial Times. His stance was immediately criticized by President Barack Obama.
The result of the two-day summit was a few technical documents and facilities relating to the new military strategy of NATO. But in fact the diplomats worked to preserve the integrity of NATO in the atmosphere causing the confusion set of security threats and political developments.
The authors recall that prior to the summit German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the conduct of the exercise in Poland as incitement to war, and the President of France Francois Hollande said that Russia must be treated as a partner, not an adversary.
“This weekend, NATO officials and some other senior members of the Alliance called both of these positions are political ploys intended for domestic audiences – transmit journalists. – However, not everyone agrees with this point of view. Another senior NATO official stated that disturbs disagree: according to them, it is easy to relate to calls to improve relations with Russia as politicking, designed exclusively for the domestic audience, however, as the British referendum on leaving the EU, domestic politics increasingly define the international agenda.”
The Eastern members of NATO, has long been adhering to the carnivorous points of view on how to deal with Russia, more and more begin to worry”, – the authors of the review.
A separate cause for concern was the decision by Britain to leave the EU. Although the British exit from the EU will take two years, journalists write, many fear that during the next vote on sanctions against Russia requires unanimity (it will be held in January), the voice UK will not be as weight.
A final note regarding unity on Saturday night asked President Obama, the article says. “We are United in the fact that it is impossible to do business with Russia as usual,” Obama said. – In good times and in bad times Europe can count on the United States. Always.”
http://www.inopressa.ru/article/11Jul2016/inotheme/summit_nato_obzor.html
