Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washingtonpost.com
November 12, 2008
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
TALLINN, Estonia -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that Russia should not feel threatened when Eastern European countries strengthen their ties to the West.
Speaking briefly to reporters after meeting with Estonia Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Gates said they discussed Russia's recent behavior, including its invasion of Georgia in August.
"Russia has no need to impede a sovereign country's desire to more fully integrate with the West," said Gates, as he stood next to Ansip. "Doing so is not a threat to Russian security, nor is further cooperation on cyber issues."
Asked about his country's security, Ansip said that he fully expects that NATO would defend Estonia, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance.
Gates added that the U.S. continually reviews its assessment of the security situation in the region and that officials from U.S. European Command were in Estonia last month for talks on the matter.
Gates is visiting Estonia for the first time to attend a meeting of NATO defense ministers in a deliberate show of support for Eastern European nations, including the Baltics and Ukraine, in the face of increased muscle-flexing by Moscow.
The meeting comes as temperatures rise between Moscow and Washington, including ongoing discord over the U.S. plans to put a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
On Wednesday there were reports that the Kremlim has rejected a second set of U.S. proposals meant to ease Russian objections to the planned missile defense system.
According to Russian news agencies, an unnamed Kremlin official said Moscow was prepared to work with Washington on questions of European security. But the official accused the Bush administration of trying to limit the incoming Obama administration's choices on the issue.
"The Americans have presented us with several proposals. These proposals are inadequate, they have nothing new in them," the official said.
In response, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said, "I hope this unnamed Kremlin official does not express his government's true wishes because we still very much wish to partner with Russia to combat the growing ballistic missile threat emanating from Iran, as evidenced by Tehran conducting another missile test this week."
He said it is in the mutual interest of both Russia and the U.S. to work together on this in light of the Iranian threat.
Less than a week ago, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that Moscow would install short-range missiles near Poland to counter the U.S. missile defense plans.
Moscow has opposed efforts by Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO. Foreign ministers are expected to discuss the languishing issue at a meeting in Brussels later this year, but expectations are dimming that NATO will actually approve a membership plan for either country at that session.
In other comments here, Gates did little to quash speculation that he may be asked to stay on as Pentagon chief in the next administration.
Asked about the prospect, Gates would not say whether he has even spoken to President-elect Barack Obama or any members of his transition team. And he would not disclose whether he has softened his long-held position that it is highly unlikely he would stay.
"I have nothing new to say on that subject," said the tightlipped former CIA director.
In the past Gates has said he is looking forward to returning to his home in Washington. When asked in April if he would stay on, he responded, "the circumstances under which I would do that are inconceivable to me."
Also Wednesday, Gates announced that the U.S. would sponsor a new cyber defense institute in Estonia.
The cyber defense center was established earlier this year in response to a massive attack against Estonian Web sites in 2007 that paralyzed many banks' Internet-based transactions.
November 12, 2008
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
TALLINN, Estonia -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that Russia should not feel threatened when Eastern European countries strengthen their ties to the West.
Speaking briefly to reporters after meeting with Estonia Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Gates said they discussed Russia's recent behavior, including its invasion of Georgia in August.
"Russia has no need to impede a sovereign country's desire to more fully integrate with the West," said Gates, as he stood next to Ansip. "Doing so is not a threat to Russian security, nor is further cooperation on cyber issues."
Asked about his country's security, Ansip said that he fully expects that NATO would defend Estonia, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance.
Gates added that the U.S. continually reviews its assessment of the security situation in the region and that officials from U.S. European Command were in Estonia last month for talks on the matter.
Gates is visiting Estonia for the first time to attend a meeting of NATO defense ministers in a deliberate show of support for Eastern European nations, including the Baltics and Ukraine, in the face of increased muscle-flexing by Moscow.
The meeting comes as temperatures rise between Moscow and Washington, including ongoing discord over the U.S. plans to put a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
On Wednesday there were reports that the Kremlim has rejected a second set of U.S. proposals meant to ease Russian objections to the planned missile defense system.
According to Russian news agencies, an unnamed Kremlin official said Moscow was prepared to work with Washington on questions of European security. But the official accused the Bush administration of trying to limit the incoming Obama administration's choices on the issue.
"The Americans have presented us with several proposals. These proposals are inadequate, they have nothing new in them," the official said.
In response, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said, "I hope this unnamed Kremlin official does not express his government's true wishes because we still very much wish to partner with Russia to combat the growing ballistic missile threat emanating from Iran, as evidenced by Tehran conducting another missile test this week."
He said it is in the mutual interest of both Russia and the U.S. to work together on this in light of the Iranian threat.
Less than a week ago, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that Moscow would install short-range missiles near Poland to counter the U.S. missile defense plans.
Moscow has opposed efforts by Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO. Foreign ministers are expected to discuss the languishing issue at a meeting in Brussels later this year, but expectations are dimming that NATO will actually approve a membership plan for either country at that session.
In other comments here, Gates did little to quash speculation that he may be asked to stay on as Pentagon chief in the next administration.
Asked about the prospect, Gates would not say whether he has even spoken to President-elect Barack Obama or any members of his transition team. And he would not disclose whether he has softened his long-held position that it is highly unlikely he would stay.
"I have nothing new to say on that subject," said the tightlipped former CIA director.
In the past Gates has said he is looking forward to returning to his home in Washington. When asked in April if he would stay on, he responded, "the circumstances under which I would do that are inconceivable to me."
Also Wednesday, Gates announced that the U.S. would sponsor a new cyber defense institute in Estonia.
The cyber defense center was established earlier this year in response to a massive attack against Estonian Web sites in 2007 that paralyzed many banks' Internet-based transactions.