NATO Suspends Military, Civilian Cooperation with Russia
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Tuesday the Western alliance had suspended all military and civilian cooperation with Russia over the crisis in Ukraine, but that political dialogue remained open.
"We are suspending all practical cooperation with Russia, military and civilian," Rasmussen said at a NATO foreign ministers meeting on the crisis in Ukraine, adding however that "diplomatic lines of communication" remained open in the NATO-Russia Council.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rasmussen said he could not confirm the withdrawal of Russian troops from near the Ukrainian border as announced by the Kremlin.
"Unfortunately I cannot confirm that Russia is withdrawing its troops; this is not what we have seen," Rasmussen told journalists ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting on the crisis in Ukraine.
Ukraine and the United States have accused Russia of massing thousands of troops near the border and have expressed concern that Moscow intends to seize southeastern parts of Ukraine that are home to large populations of ethnic Russians, following the Crimea takeover.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Putin had personally informed her of the troop pullback in a telephone conversation on Monday, and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the move "a small sign that the situation is becoming less tense".
Ukraine also reported Monday that Russian troops were leaving the flashpoint area.
Merkel said she had "no reason" to doubt the partial Russian troop withdrawal would go ahead as relayed to her by Putin.
"I can only go on what the Russian president has said," Merkel told reporters, responding to a question after NATO's chief said he had no confirmation of the move.
"I will of course get more information on to what extent it's evident or not," she said but added that the withdrawal was "certainly" not the last step necessary because the concentration of troops on the Ukrainian border was "very high".
"Nevertheless I have, today, no reason to doubt that it will happen," she said at a joint press conference with visiting Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
NATO foreign ministers are meeting at the alliance headquarters in Brussels to forge a response to Russia's annexation of Crimea last month.
But as the talks began, NATO seemed to be stepping back from reinforcing military presence in countries bordering Russia, preferring for now to give more time to diplomacy.
"I think everybody realizes that the best way forward is a political and diplomatic dialogue," Rasmussen said, though he added NATO was "very determined to provide effective defense and protection of our allies".
One counter-measure apparently off the table for now is the idea to set up permanent military bases in NATO countries bordering with Russia.
The move would be highly controversial for Moscow, reversing an informal agreement made when NATO expanded east to include former Warsaw Pact countries that were eager to break away from years of Soviet domination.
But Dutch foreign minister Frank Timmermans said that for now "we don't need NATO troops at the border with Russia," adding there was "no need for sudden moves".
The cautious line could come as a disappointment to eastern NATO members, who were expected to argue for a tougher stance against Russia at the meeting.
"There is a rather wide consensus among the allies, even if eastern countries -- such as the Baltics and Poland -- wish NATO would adopt a more pronounced stand against Russia," a diplomat said.
Before entering NATO headquarters for the talks, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said his country "would welcome any forces" on its territory.
"All members should enjoy the same level of security," he said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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