Rasmussen: NATO's missile shield for Europe becomes realityOctober 3, 2011 - 19:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO's missile shield for Europe is gradually becoming a reality, the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Monday, October 3. Rasmussen said Poland, Romania and Turkey had already agreed to deploy key components of the future missile defense network on their territories and he was expecting more contributions to the European missile shield in the near future. "Step by step NATO's territorial missile defense is becoming a reality. I expect that in Chicago [where a NATO summit is planned for 2012] we will declare an interim operational capability," Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels. Russia is insisting on a joint system with full-scale interoperability to ensure that NATO's system will not be directed against Moscow. The alliance, however, favors two independent systems which exchange information. U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Beyrle said in an interview with Russian business daily Kommersant on Monday that Russia and the United States will sign an agreement on the information exchange system of the European missile shield during the NATO summit in Chicago. The ambassador said the information exchange system will include an exchange of technology as well as two command centers aimed at tracking missile launches all over the world and analyzing possible threats, RIA Novosti reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |