Military

NATO

¨         Black-clad demonstrators battled Czech police with rocks and bottles in a mock riot on Wednesday as forces geared up for a NATO summit this month, the country's largest ever security operation.  Up to 12,000 police and soldiers were preparing for the arrival of more than 40 leaders for the key meeting on November 21-22 in Prague. With memories of violent clashes during a Prague meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2000 still fresh, Czech police chief Jiri Kolar said police will be more pro-active this time around if the expected 12,000 anti-globalization protesters force their way into the Prague congress center. "This is not a typical action, you will still see the police cordons on the streets. But we will respond to any actions by demonstrators," Kolar said, referring to the mock exercise.  The Czech parliament was expected to approve measures this week to allow U.S. war planes to patrol the skies above the summit venue.(Reuters 1535 061102 Nov 02 GMT)

¨         Georgian President Shevardnadze said Wednesday that his country would make an official bid to join NATO at the alliance's summit this month. Shevardnadze said that the alliance had agreed to consider Georgia's application during the Nov. 21-22 summit in Prague, but wouldn't say when his nation could become a member. He previously has said that the ex-Soviet republic in the Caucasus would have to make strong efforts to bring its military to NATO standards.(AP 061520 Nov 02 GMT)

ANTI-TERRORISM

¨         The German cabinet said on Wednesday it would ask parliament to approve an extension to German troop involvement in the U.S.-led war on terrorism, an issue which nearly brought down the government last year. The Bundestag lower house of parliament is expected to back continuing troop participation in a vote next week, with opposition parties saying they will support the proposed one-year extension.(Reuters 1329 061102 Nov 02 GMT)

¨         The Navy is sending one of its most technologically advanced ships to anchor a new U.S.-led task force aimed at rooting out suspected terrorists in and around northeastern Africa, military officials said on Wednesday.  The command and control ship, the Mount Whitney, initially will serve as headquarters of the so-called Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, said Marine Maj. Steve Cox, the new Unit's spokesman. The deployment will mark the first to the region by a previously unscheduled U.S. warship in the run up to a possible U.S. attack on Iraq to force United Nations-recognized disarmament.  The task force will keep tabs on an area "identified as a transit route for terrorist organizations operating in and around Afghanistan and the Arabian peninsula," added Cox.   Its goal is to deny new havens and support bases for "transnational terrorists," he said.(Reuters 2228 061102 Nov 02 GMT)

U.S.-TURKEY

¨         The Bush administration is considering the sale of attack helicopters to Turkey as part of a broader aid package aimed at shoring up support from key allies ahead of a possible U.S. strike on Iraq, people involved in the deliberations said on Wednesday.  The proposed military and economic aid package, which sources said was likely to total nearly $1 billion and include $700 million to $800 million for Turkey, could be sent to Congress for approval in the coming weeks. Other U.S. allies in the region could also benefit.  The White House declined to comment.(Reuters 0036 071102 Nov 02 GMT)

BALKANS-EU

¨         Serbian Prime Minister Djindjic said on Wednesday he believed his country would be able to join the EU in a second wave of enlargement along with its Balkan neighbors Bulgaria and Romania by 2010.  Djindjic, in Brussels for talks with EU officials, played down recent political squabbles that have slowed economic reforms and said he might back arch rival Vojislav Kostunica in Serbia's presidential election rerun in December.  Djindjic said he was confident Serbia could catch up with Bulgaria and Romania, which have set for themselves a target EU accession date of 2007. "At the moment we are close to the standards in Romania and Bulgaria. They plan to join in 2007 and I am sure that in two years we, and I mean Croatia as well as Serbia and Montenegro, will be able to move faster," he told reporters. "Our plan is to be recognized by 2004-05 as candidates (for EU membership) and then to have a set of conditions and see how we fulfill; them," said Djindjic.(Reuters 1742 061102 Nov 02 GMT)