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NATO agrees to strengthen eastern flank

PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk 10.02.2016 17:58
NATO defense ministers agreed on Wednesday to strengthen the military alliance’s presence on its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Sekretarz Generalny NATO Jens Stoltenberg.  Foto: EPA/OLIVIER HOSLETSekretarz Generalny NATO Jens Stoltenberg. Foto: EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

The decision, amid fears of a potential attack by Russia in the Baltics and Eastern Europe, came during a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels.

“NATO defence ministers agreed on an enhanced forward presence in the eastern part of our alliance,” Stoltenberg said.

The stepped-up presence would be “multinational, to make clear that an attack against one ally is an attack against all allies, and that the alliance as a whole will respond,” Stoltenberg added.

“It will be rotational and supported by a programme of exercises; and it will be complemented by the necessary logistics and infrastructure to support pre-positioning and facilitate rapid reinforcement.”

Beefing up NATO in Central and Eastern Europe is a key goal for Poland, which considers Russia, its giant neighbour to the east, a major potential threat to its security.

Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said the alliance's decision was still to be confirmed at a NATO summit in July in Warsaw, "but the decision about a lasting NATO presence on its eastern flank has been taken."

(pk)

Source: PAP

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