3 expat women who practiced prostitution in a hotel arrested in Riyadh    Tunisian president and Saudi interior minister discuss security cooperation    Saudi, US defense ministers discuss over phone ways to enhance strategic cooperation    Grand Mufti expresses pride over Saudi Arabia's firm position on Palestine issue    Saudi Arabia's inflation records slight rise reaching 2% in January 2025    Electromin celebrates victory of "Nissan Formula E Team" in "Jeddah E-Prix" as first Saudi private-sector global partner in Formula E    Saudi Arabia vows full support to Lebanon's actions to safeguard citizens' security    US-made heavy bombs arrive in Israel after Biden-era hold    Death toll from New Delhi railway station stampede rises to 18    US, Russia to begin Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia    Al Ittihad CEO calls for fairness as Al Hilal raises officiating concerns ahead of Saudi Classico    LG Electronics Saudi Arabia and Shaker Group mark 30 years of sustainable innovation in HVAC solutions    Benzema shines with goal and two assists as Al Ittihad dominate Al Wehda French star leads Al Ittihad to 4-1 victory, extending lead over Al Hilal ahead of top-of-the-table clash    Saudi Arabia among world's top 10 energy storage markets    Al Hilal held to controversial 1-1 draw against Al Riyadh, missing chance to reclaim top spot    Al Hilal accuses SPL's Michael Emenalo of bias and SFF's Manuel Navarro of pressuring team to accept local referees Club criticizes officiating, calls for elite foreign referees in Saudi Pro League    Maya Diab joins Arab stars and celebrities in celebrating the Centrepoint Ramadan 2025 collection launch at Riyadh Boulevard    Oilatum tackles rise in Eczema and Dry Skin in Saudi Arabia    HONOR brings together AI and luxury with PORSCHE DESIGN HONOR Magic7 RSR at LEAP 2025    Chinese film stirs national pride, rakes in $1bn in days    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



NATO reviewing security post Georgia war – general
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 11 - 10 - 2008

Russia's invasion of Georgia has forced NATO to reexamine its assumptions about the safety of member states and could require new contingency planning, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. John Craddock said.
“There's a new geopolitical reality here,” Craddock told Reuters in an interview.
“There were several assumptions made for years and those assumptions need to be validated given Aug. 7,” Craddock said, citing the date war broke out between Georgia and Russia. “That's what we're doing.”
Craddock, on the sidelines of a NATO defence ministers meeting in Budapest, said he had not begun formal contingency planning.
Instead he is first “scoping” to determine whether new plans are needed to protect NATO members and countries with bilateral relations, known as Partnership for Peace (PFP) countries.
Georgia is a PFP country.
“For years there's been an assumption that no nation, either member nation or PFP, had to worry nor should fear an invasion of their sovereign territory. I think there's change now as a result of August,” he said.
“We have to take a look at that. We have to go through it. We have to make military judgments and then come to a conclusion, which will lead us either to con (contingency) planning or not. Or maybe there are other plans in place that would allow us to get to the same end,” he added. Assessing the threat posed by Russia could shift NATO's attention back to its original adversary, and some allies, particularly in Western Europe, worry about the signal that would send to Moscow.
Others, particularly ex-Soviet states, are asking for a defence plan out of fear that Russian action in Georgia is just the first step in a Kremlin plan to regain influence and control lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The foundation of the NATO alliance is a collective defence promise known as Article 5, stating an attack on one is an attack on all. The alliance does not have formal defence plans for some of its newer members, and they are seeking assurances of protection.
“There are nations who are concerned. Fair enough,” Craddock said. “We should be responsive and understand that there are indeed legitimate issues here.”
Renewed defence planning is likely to rile Moscow, which already says NATO's expansion toward Russian borders threatens security and regional stability. Russia has opposed NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine, something the United States supports and the alliance has promised.
The August war between Russia and Georgia, which erupted after Tbilisi tried to retake by force a separatist pro-Moscow province, has led some allies to say NATO should delay putting Georgia and Ukraine on formal membership track.
Worsening NATO-Russia relations will be discussed on Friday, the second and last day of the Budapest meetings. NATO froze ties with Russia after the war and Russia sent no representative to these defence meetings. – Reuters __


Clic here to read the story from its source.