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http://www.gazeta.ru/intnews.shtml?185169 Russia to review military if NATO expands - paper Reuters July 18, 2002 Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said Moscow will be forced to review its military position if, as expected, neighbouring Baltic countries join the Western defence alliance, a Finnish daily reported on Thursday. "Russia will then be forced to review not only its own military positions but also the entire spectrum of international relations, both with the alliance as a whole and with the mentioned Baltic states," he was quoted as saying. Ivanov did not specify what this could involve. He also reiterated in the Hufvudstadsbladet interview before a two-day visit to Finland that NATO expansion would not contribute to increased security but could instead destabilise Europe. "It could also be a factor that essentially destabilises the situation in the Baltic region and in the whole of Europe," he said. Ten countries in post-communist Europe are hopeful they will be asked to join NATO at a November summit in Prague. A European Union summit in Copenhagen in December is similarly set to invite 10 ex-communist states into the EU. Ivanov spoke favourably about the new partnership between Russia and NATO, forged at a historic summit in Rome in May. He said that if the new Rome agreement on security cooperation was realised, the political relationship between Moscow and the alliance could reach the same level as between members of NATO. "This would be most important result of the cooperation between Russia and the Atlantic alliance," Ivanov said. //Reuters __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
