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NATO

• The Guardian quotes a senior British defense official saying Wednesday that NATO is shifting its attention away from northern Europe to the south, in a move reflecting its new relationship with Russia and emerging threats in the Mediterranean region. New headquarters, which would be responsible for mobilizing forces at short notice are being set up in Milan, Madrid and Istanbul. NATO’s naval headquarters in Naples is also being strengthened, says the newspaper, citing the defense source saying: "There is evidence of instability around the Mediterranean and concerns about the Horn of Africa, whereas in the north of Europe there is a reduction in the previous tension with Russia." According to the newspaper, the source added that Britain is moving more than 60 senior military officers to the three new headquarters. About 30, including a general, are based at the new headquarters in Milan, the source noted, stressing that its geographical position made Italy a crucial country in the fight against international terrorism. The article remarks that the source’s comment reflect those made in London by German Defense Minister Scharping. Russia’s new relationship with NATO meant the "old east-west conflict could be replaced by a new one," Scharping reportedly said, describing the next challenge as "the north-south dimension."

The creation of the new NATO-Russia Council continues to generate reactions.

At the Rome summit, NATO may have reached what Clausewitz called the high point of victory, writes Madrid’s El Pais, stressing, however: "The question is to establish whether from this point on it is not going to enter into an existential crisis that leads it, beyond being the military structure of transatlantic relations, toward becoming a more political organization, which means it would compete not only with the OSCE, but also with the development of an EU foreign and security policy that seeks greater autonomy for the United States."

Looking at the credibility gap between U.S. and European military capabilities, Guido Tabellini, professor of economics at Bocconi University and a member of the CEPS Macroeconomic Policy Group, a Brussels think-tank, writes in a contribution to the Financial Times, that Europe can no longer rely on national taxation to finance its joint military efforts. Military spending in Europe lags way behind the U.S. and more resources are needed. "Border controls and fighting organized crime cost money. Elements of a common foreign policy may require revamping the EU diplomatic corps. It is highly inefficient to rely exclusively on national budgets to bear these costs: each member state has a strong incentive to ‘free ride’ on the others and under-provide the public goods that benefit all…. The natural solution is to pay for them out of the EU budget," Tabellini writes. From an economic point of view, it would make sense to finance the provision of true European public goods with the proceeds of a European tax levied for the purpose. Among other things, this would stimulate a Europe-wide debate on genuine European policy issues: how much are we prepared to spend to have a more effective military capability or a more efficient border patrol?, he adds, noting that currently, political debates on these issues are distorted by a national perspective.

ESDP

• According to AP, Greece Thursday described a Spanish proposal aiming to break a deadlock over the EU’s defense plans as "positive," raising hopes that the problem could be solved in time for the deployment of EU peacekeepers in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in September. "There is movement and dynamic negotiations around the issue. We evaluated the Spanish (EU) presidency’s effort very positively," the dispatch quotes a Foreign Ministry spokesman saying in Athens. The spokesman reportedly refused to describe the Spanish proposal, saying the issue was still under negotiation, but said it "expressed an interest to find a commonly acceptable solution which will meet Greek demands."

UNITED STATES-CAUCASUS

• The Christian Science Monitor observes that under the Georgia "Train and Equip" program, which got under way this week, U.S. special forces will instruct every level of the Georgian military, from its top leaders to officers and enlisted soldiers in line units. The graduates will in turn train other Georgian soldiers. The article quotes unidentified officials saying that although U.S. special forces have previously trained troops around the world, the ambitious program is the most comprehensive of its kind. The newspaper notes that the mission furthers a NATO foothold in a country historically plagued by ethnic separatism and now poised to become an important corridor for trade and energy from Central Asia to Europe.

OTHER NEWS

• According to AP, state-run Pakistan television reported Thursday that Pakistan has begun moving troops from the Afghan border, where they have been aiding US. forces in the search for Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters, due to the military crisis with India. Quoting an unidentified Pakistan army spokesman, the broadcast reportedly said the forces were being shifted to Kashmir, where India and Pakistan have amassed a million troops. The dispatch recalls that the United States earlier expressed concern about reports of plans for the redeployment, saying it could hurt the effort to seal the Afghan border and prevent the escape of Taliban and Al Qaeda or their re-entry into Afghanistan to regroup or stage attacks.

 FINAL ITEM