• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

RUSSIA-NATO

• Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said in an interview broadcast on Sunday the creation of a Russia-NATO council next month could alter the structure of European security. Ivanov’s remarks on RTR state television amounted to Moscow’s first reaction to last week's announcement that Russia and NATO would launch the council at a Rome summit. "Issues will be agreed -- perhaps five, seven current issues involving the interests of all states, not just in the council," Ivanov said in the interview recorded on Saturday. "And decisions will be taken on the basis of consensus, unanimity, and will be implemented jointly. Creating this mechanism amounts to a new stage in our relations. "As for issues within NATO’s competence, NATO will act as an independent organization," he told RTR. "But within the council, all members and Russia will act on an equal basis. This is highly important."(Reuters 1953 210402 Apr 02 GMT)

BALKANS

• The Netherlands said on Friday it was ready to take over a NATO peacekeeping force in Macedonia (sic) in June despite the collapse earlier this week of its government over a botched peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. The Netherlands was ready to send 400 troops to the Balkans in June, it said. "The Netherlands will make a concrete contribution to stability in the Balkans," the defense ministry said. The EU plans to take over peacekeeping duties in Macedonia (sic) from NATO next September.(Reuters 1627 190402 Apr 02 GMT)

• Gunmen opened fire on French peacekeepers patrolling the Afghan capital of Kabul, slightly injuring one soldier, a peacekeeper said Saturday. French peacekeepers returned fire during the attack near the Kabul airport Friday evening, Capt. Serge Khun, spokesman for the 18-nation, 4,500-strong international peacekeeping force responsible for security in Kabul. Four men believed to have participated in the attack escaped, Khun said. The French soldier was slightly injured in the leg and was taken to a French medical facility in Kabul. He was later released and resumed his peacekeeping duties, said Maj. Can Oz, another peacekeepers’ spokesman.(AP 200651 Apr 02 GMT)

MIDDLE EAST

• The foreign ministers of traditional rivals Greece and Turkey may go ahead with a planned visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week in an effort to help end violence in the region, the Greek and Turkish foreign ministries said on Friday. The exact date of the trip by Greek foreign minister George Papandreou and his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem was not set, and the visit would take place "providing developments allow," said Greek foreign ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said that Cem and Papandreou would be going to the region together next week "as long as there no extraordinary developments ... to contribute to the peace effort." The two ministers have said they hope the trip will send a message that two longtime foes can work together to promote peace.(AP 191506 Apr 02 GMT)

OTHER NEWS

• German prosecutors are looking into what they suspect may be a new cell of extremists with links to al Qaeda in Hamburg, where some of the alleged September 11 attackers lived, a newspaper said on Saturday. Die Welt daily quoted security sources as saying federal prosecutors had launched the investigation into a group in the northern city that apparently had had close contact with the al Qaeda network, which the United States blames for the attacks. A spokeswoman for prosecutors declined to comment on the report, saying investigations were generally confidential.(Reuters 1441 200402 Apr 02 GMT)

• Hungary’s opposition centre-left claimed victory in national elections on Sunday, with a slim 10-seat majority to unseat Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling conservatives. The Socialists have promised to speed up Hungary’s EU membership talks and have signalled market-friendly measures that analysts say will boost the stock market. "We won," said Peter Medgyessy, who led the Socialist campaign and is expected to be Hungary's next prime minister. "The main issue has been decided, and that's a change of government. This high turnout, given the close contest, gives a big legitimacy to our new government," he said. A new prime minister would need the backing of a simple majority in parliament to swear in a new government.(Reuters 2048 210402 Apr 02 GMT)

 FINAL ITEM