Serbian
May 7th, 2009, 02:23 AM
Russia Expels NATO Envoys as Georgian War Games Begin
By Lucian Kim
May 6 (Bloomberg) -- Russia expelled two NATO officials working in Moscow in a tit-for-tat move, further straining relations after two Russian diplomats were kicked out of Brussels and the alliance began military exercises in Georgia.
Russia was forced to expel two Canadian officials as a standard diplomatic response, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on state television today. While there’s “no big connection” between the expulsions and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led war games, both events may make it more difficult for Russia and the alliance to repair ties, he said.
“We want a normal, mutually beneficial and mutually respectful partnership with NATO,” said Lavrov, who will meet U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington later this week. Lavrov yesterday canceled a meeting with his NATO counterparts to protest the expulsion of the two Russian diplomats on espionage charges.
Relations with the 28-member military bloc had only begun to mend after NATO froze ties to protest the Russian invasion of Georgia last August. U.S. President Barack Obama has called for cooperation with Russia in areas of common interest such as Iran, Afghanistan and arms control.
NATO called the expulsions “very unfortunate” on its Web site, adding that they wouldn’t affect the alliance’s decision to “re-engage” Russia. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters in Prague that he was “concerned” about Russia’s retaliatory move.
Afghan Shipments
Tensions with NATO won’t necessarily hurt Obama’s efforts to “reset” U.S. relations with Russia, said Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Moscow-based Russia in Global Affairs magazine.
“The expulsions don’t improve the atmosphere. But what do Russia-NATO relations actually consist of?” Lukyanov said by telephone. “In reality, nothing will happen.”
Russia is allowing the U.S. and other NATO countries to ship non-lethal supplies across its territory for troops in Afghanistan. Those shipments are governed by agreements with individual governments, not the alliance, Lukyanov said.
The Canadian diplomats are Isabelle Francois and Mark Opgenorth, the director and deputy director of the NATO Information Office in Moscow. They are the center’s only non- Russian staff, according to NATO’s Web site.
War Games
NATO started war games at a base near the Georgian capital of Tbilisi today, a day after the government quelled a mutiny by a tank battalion, though four countries that had planned to participate dropped out. The exercises have drawn criticism from Russia.
While it may be “absurd” to conduct the exercises given instability in the region, NATO would have lost face by canceling them, Lukyanov said.
NATO’s accusation last week that two Russian diplomats were spying at alliance headquarters intensified strains. Belgium revoked their diplomatic accreditation yesterday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded today by informing Canadian Ambassador Ralph Lysyshyn of its decision to strip two NATO officials of their accreditation in Moscow.
Nineteen countries, including non-NATO members, were originally scheduled to take part in the Cooperative Longbow - Cooperative Lancer 09 exercises at Georgia’s Vaziani military base. Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Serbia won’t be sending troops to participate in the war games, which will last until June 1, Georgian Defense Ministry spokesman Davit Nardaia said by telephone.
Army Mutiny
The U.S. and Georgia held exercises at Vaziani in mid-July 2008, three weeks before the start of a five-day war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russia bombed the base and routed Georgia’s army in the conflict. It later recognized South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, as sovereign countries and deployed troops in both regions.
About 500 soldiers mutinied yesterday at the Mukhrovani base. President Mikheil Saakashvili blamed the revolt on former senior military officials who had been fired for corruption. More than 20 military officers and civilian officials were detained following the incident, the Interior Ministry said.
Last Updated: May 6, 2009 09:33 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aYz4Q2mX28qI&refer=canada
By Lucian Kim
May 6 (Bloomberg) -- Russia expelled two NATO officials working in Moscow in a tit-for-tat move, further straining relations after two Russian diplomats were kicked out of Brussels and the alliance began military exercises in Georgia.
Russia was forced to expel two Canadian officials as a standard diplomatic response, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on state television today. While there’s “no big connection” between the expulsions and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led war games, both events may make it more difficult for Russia and the alliance to repair ties, he said.
“We want a normal, mutually beneficial and mutually respectful partnership with NATO,” said Lavrov, who will meet U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington later this week. Lavrov yesterday canceled a meeting with his NATO counterparts to protest the expulsion of the two Russian diplomats on espionage charges.
Relations with the 28-member military bloc had only begun to mend after NATO froze ties to protest the Russian invasion of Georgia last August. U.S. President Barack Obama has called for cooperation with Russia in areas of common interest such as Iran, Afghanistan and arms control.
NATO called the expulsions “very unfortunate” on its Web site, adding that they wouldn’t affect the alliance’s decision to “re-engage” Russia. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters in Prague that he was “concerned” about Russia’s retaliatory move.
Afghan Shipments
Tensions with NATO won’t necessarily hurt Obama’s efforts to “reset” U.S. relations with Russia, said Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Moscow-based Russia in Global Affairs magazine.
“The expulsions don’t improve the atmosphere. But what do Russia-NATO relations actually consist of?” Lukyanov said by telephone. “In reality, nothing will happen.”
Russia is allowing the U.S. and other NATO countries to ship non-lethal supplies across its territory for troops in Afghanistan. Those shipments are governed by agreements with individual governments, not the alliance, Lukyanov said.
The Canadian diplomats are Isabelle Francois and Mark Opgenorth, the director and deputy director of the NATO Information Office in Moscow. They are the center’s only non- Russian staff, according to NATO’s Web site.
War Games
NATO started war games at a base near the Georgian capital of Tbilisi today, a day after the government quelled a mutiny by a tank battalion, though four countries that had planned to participate dropped out. The exercises have drawn criticism from Russia.
While it may be “absurd” to conduct the exercises given instability in the region, NATO would have lost face by canceling them, Lukyanov said.
NATO’s accusation last week that two Russian diplomats were spying at alliance headquarters intensified strains. Belgium revoked their diplomatic accreditation yesterday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded today by informing Canadian Ambassador Ralph Lysyshyn of its decision to strip two NATO officials of their accreditation in Moscow.
Nineteen countries, including non-NATO members, were originally scheduled to take part in the Cooperative Longbow - Cooperative Lancer 09 exercises at Georgia’s Vaziani military base. Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Serbia won’t be sending troops to participate in the war games, which will last until June 1, Georgian Defense Ministry spokesman Davit Nardaia said by telephone.
Army Mutiny
The U.S. and Georgia held exercises at Vaziani in mid-July 2008, three weeks before the start of a five-day war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Russia bombed the base and routed Georgia’s army in the conflict. It later recognized South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, as sovereign countries and deployed troops in both regions.
About 500 soldiers mutinied yesterday at the Mukhrovani base. President Mikheil Saakashvili blamed the revolt on former senior military officials who had been fired for corruption. More than 20 military officers and civilian officials were detained following the incident, the Interior Ministry said.
Last Updated: May 6, 2009 09:33 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aYz4Q2mX28qI&refer=canada