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| Russia |
| Moscow again lashes out at NATO over Baltic airspace policing |
| 2004-03-23 |
| From Baltic News Service, not available on Web The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that the NATO plan to bring its military hardware into the Baltic states for Baltic airspace policing affects Russia’s security interests. "It is a question of deploying the potential for new military (structures), including air force and air defense elements, in the immediate vicinity of our borders, which affects the security of Russia," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko was quoted by Interfax as saying at a briefing in Moscow on Tuesday. "Russia can draw its own conclusions and duly react. We are now studying this step of the alliance," he added. Yakovenko said the NATO decision "poorly conforms to the spirit of the current partnership between Russia and NATO." He said the arguments put forward by NATO do not sound very convincing. "It is a pity that NATO overestimated the situation in the region where security threats are absent, thanks to Russia’s unprecedented efforts, among other things," he said. The NATO air policing unit to ensure the protection of the skies over the Baltic states will be stationed in Lithuania, while one of the reserve airfields will be situated in Estonia. "The reserve airports will also be in Estonia and Latvia, but [the planes] are planned to be deployed in Lithuania," Lithuanian Defense Minister Linas Linkevicius said in remarks to Radio Free Europe. Media have reported that four to six F-16 fighter jets, their crews, and a portable radar could be based at the Zokniai air base near Siauliai, Lithunia. Welcome to the Baltics, gentlemen, where the beer is cheap and the women are beautiful. Diplomatic sources have said that the fighter jets will be provided by rotation, and that Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands will probably take part in the project, with Norway to help with flight control. Different sources have said that also German and Polish air forces could take part in ensuring the protection of the Baltic air space. The Amari airfield, situated some 40 kilometers to the southwest of the Estonian capital Tallinn, will most likely serve as the reserve airfield for the jets in Estonia. Last week, the North Atlantic Council announced it would apply the same air defense protections to new members as it does to current members. These latest developments follow an increase of tension between the Baltic States and Russia ahead of their entry into NATO and the EU. Russian planes passed into Estonian airspace, one last week, and once in October, when a couple of their fighter planes passed within sight of the Estonian presidential "White House." Russia screamed bloody murder when an AWACS passed through Lithuania and Latvia a few weeks ago. Estonia expelled two Russian diplomats this weekend for "activities not in keeping with their diplomatic status." |
| Posted by:Scott |