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| Afghanistan |
| NATO and Russia agree land transit for Afghanistan |
| 2008-04-05 |
| Russia agreed on Friday to allow NATO to use Russian land to deliver non-lethal supplies to alliance troops in Afghanistan, but not troops or air transit arrangements as initially sought by NATO, Reuters reported. The deal was showcased at a summit between alliance leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bucharest as evidence of co-operation between the former Cold War foes. “It’s been done. It will cover land transit of non-lethal equipment. Air transit is not for today,” a NATO spokeswoman said. Letters implementing the agreement were exchanged by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a Kremlin spokesman said. The NATO spokeswoman said non-lethal supplies covered everything from food to certain military equipment. She did not say why troops or air transit would not be covered. NATO raises 1,800 troops: NATO has raised nearly 1,800 troops as reinforcements in Afghanistan, along with several military trainers and helicopters, a source present at an allied leaders’ summit said on Friday, according to AFP. France was the only country to publicly announce troop contributions to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). It said it would send a 700-member battalion to eastern Afghanistan. However, the source said that Georgia, a NATO aspirant, had offered 500 troops, to be split between eastern and southern Afghanistan, while Poland pledged 400 troops and eight helicopters, also to be divided between eastern and southern Afghanistan. The Czech Republic committed 120 special operations troops for missions in the south, and Azerbaijan would send 45 soldiers, the source said. Other NATO member states committed to sending military training and mentoring teams — which usually consist of 19 to 36 troops — to work with the Iraqi army and police, the source said. Italy will move its operations from Kabul to western Afghanistan with three new training teams, while Romania and Greece would provide a training and mentoring team each, the source said. New Zealand said it would modestly increase its forces in Afghanistan to support a provincial reconstruction team, according to the source. Eight countries had agreed to contribute helicopters, he added. The move by France to send troops east, not too far from their main base in Kabul, would enable US forces to move south and bolster allies on the frontline of the fight against the Taliban-led insurgency. ISAF compromises some 47,000 troops drawn from almost 40 nations, according to official figures released on April 1. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 See also NOSI.ORG > FOURTH GENERATION WARFARE - A BATTALION'S WORTH OF GOOD IDEAS. Also from NOSI > US NAVY - CARRIED AWAY/DEAD RECKONING, via ARMED FORCES JOURNAL. The US Navy Supercarrier future new role as a HUMANITARIAN OCEAN LINER = SUPER AUXIL SUPPLY/MOTHER SHIP??? No mention of Guamanians being transported to manland USA on CV's due to PACIFIC "EARTH CHANGES". |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-04-05 01:24 |