Military

DSACEUR-GEORGIA

¨         DSACEUR Gen. Stöckmann's two-day visit to Georgia was noted by Russian media.  Moscow's Itar-TASS, Aug. 20, reported that at a news conference in Tbilisi Tuesday, the general stressed that NATO-Georgia cooperation should focus on concrete programs.  The dispatch quoted Gen. Stöckmann saying his talks with Georgian officials, including President Shevardnadze, had centered on the deepening of cooperation between NATO and Georgia, and prospects for Georgia's integration with NATO.  "The general said that (Georgia) should focus on concrete programs, including Partnership for Peace.  Bigger plans can be discussed after NATO decides that Georgia meets certain requirements," the dispatch highlighted.  It further quoted Gen. Stöckmann saying that NATO believes Georgia should synchronize bilateral cooperation with member countries of the Alliance and make this cooperation better coordinated.  "Gen, Stöckmann . said Georgia now should place emphasis not on approaching NATO standards, but on giving more attention to projects under the Partnership for Peace Program," said a related Interfax dispatch, Aug. 20. The news agency added: "In response to a question on what NATO's reaction would be to the possible unilateral movement of Russian troops into the Pankisi Gorge for an operation against Chechen rebels, Gen. Stöckmann said this topic was a political one and he could not give such evaluations.  At the same time, he said NATO and Russia have reached a certain agreement on cooperation and NATO does not intend to conduct any actions against Russia.  'NATO is acting openly and is not hiding anything from anyone,' he said."  The dispatch also quoted Gen. Stöckmann saying he had given his Russian counterparts advance notice of his visit to Georgia to eliminate any suspicions.

NATO

¨         Warsaw's PAP news agency, Aug. 20, quoted Polish Defense Minister Zemke saying Tuesday that Poland could agree to protect Czech airspace, but this would need detailed planning.  The dispatch noted that the Czech government may scrap its planned purchase of 24 Gripen fighter airplanes as it looks to rebuild the country after severe flood damage.  One of the solutions currently being discussed involves hiring other NATO air forces to patrol Czech airspace, added the dispatch, further quoting Zemke saying:  "This would be a very serious move with far-reaching financial consequences and would have to be discussed in detail."  Prague's Hospodarske Noviny, Aug. 20, quoted Czech Prime Minister Spidla saying, however, that the procurement of supersonic aircraft remained one of his priorities.  Reacting to Defense Minister Tvrdik's statement that the procurement of 24 new Gripen aircraft was a dead project, Spidla reportedly stressed it was necessary to seek options that would not mean the Czech Republic renouncing the fighters forever.  "The issue does not just involve purchasing the Gripen, but also guaranteeing the defense of our airspace," Spidla was quoted saying, adding:  "If we do not have supersonic aircraft, we will obviously have to consider significantly bolstering the missile troops.  It is impossible to state simply that the fighters are the most expensive option, as it may seem at first glance."  The newspaper also quoted "a reliable source close to government circles" saying a comparison was currently being made of how much the lease or purchase of used Gripens or older F-16s would cost. These were reportedly offered by the United States and Belgium.  The article quoted Deputy Defense Minister Stefan Fuele stressing, however, that no consideration is being given yet to declaring a new tender for a supplier of "second-hand" supersonic aircraft.  "We cannot, on the one hand, assure the public that 24 new Gripens will not be purchased and, on the other, again declare a tender procedure whose preparation and assessment would take more than a year and definitely would not be free of charge," Fuele reportedly insisted.  According to the newspaper, he added that the possibility is being discussed that the country's airspace could be protected by the L-159 ground-attack aircraft, but this would mean further investments in the project.  "Similarly, protection by the missiles or fighters of our allies can also be taken into consideration. But we do not see these as realistic options," he continued.

BRITAIN-DEFENSE

¨         According to AP, a committee of British lawmakers said Wednesday that a decade after nine British soldiers were killed by U.S. gunfire during the Gulf War, the military has done little to protect troops from "friendly fire" casualties.  The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee reportedly said the Ministry of Defense had not compiled or analyzed detailed data on so-called "blue on blue" casualties.  Plans to set up a better "friend or foe" battlefield identification system were still in the preliminary stages, the all-party committee said.  It also warned that failure to develop a combat identification system heightened the risk of civilian casualties in a military operation.  According to the dispatch, the Ministry of Defense said it would respond to the report "in due course."

IRAQ

¨         The Washington Times writes that U.S. officials, faced with an internal survey showing widespread foreign skepticism about their motives, are planning a public relations offensive to build international support among foreign opinion leaders for a war against Iraq.  According to the newspaper, the Iraq Public Diplomacy Group, a U.S. interagency task force on countering negative foreign press about U.S. policy on Iraq, will begin a widespread public relations campaign this fall, targeting newspaper editors and foreign policy analysts in Western Europe and the Middle East.  The task force reportedly plans on publishing a brochure documenting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's ability to threaten Iraqis and other people in the region.  One U.S. official familiar with the group's planning is quoted saying Tuesday that the booklet would "document and chronicle Saddam's transgressions against international norms."  Other plans are said to include establishing interactive teleconferences linking high-ranking U.S. officials with what one State Department official described as foreign "opinion leaders," such as newspaper editors and think-tank analysts.  The article observes that the campaign comes in the face of widespread skepticism in European and Middle Eastern capitals about the prudence of a campaign to topple Saddam's government.  It adds that an analysis of foreign media conducted by the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and released internally on Monday, notes that 68% of analyzed newspaper editorials in NATO countries and Australia opposed military action against Iraq.