During his visit to Riga Thursday Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen assured the Baltic states that they needn't fear a military threat from Russia. Photo used courtesy of NATO.
RIGA — On his inaugural visit to the Baltics after becoming NATO’s secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen has tried to allay local fears of a resurgent Russia, stressing that the eastern neighbor is “not a threat.”
“In the long-term perspective it is of utmost importance to improve relations between NATO and Russia,” Fogh Rasmussen told journalists Thursday evening in Riga Castle after meeting Latvian President Valdis Zatlers.
“We have our disputes with Russia, we have our differences. But there are a number of areas in which we share interests,” he said. “I think we should develop a practical cooperation with Russia in areas in which we share security interests.”
Since Russia invaded Georgia in August 2008, security issues have returned to the forefront in Baltics. Old fears of a Russia bent on regional domination have resurfaced, despite Baltic membership in NATO.
Fogh Rasmussen downplayed the threat of recent Russian military exercises in the Kaliningrad exclave, which shares a border with Lithuania. “I understand very well the concerns raised in connection with [these] exercises. I can assure you that we follow and monitor [them],” he said. “Having said that, we do not consider the exercises a threat to any ally.”
Fogh Rasmussen, who became secretary general last summer, said his approach to Russia would be “two-track” — standing firm with Moscow on matters of principles, and forging strong cooperation in matters of mutual security interest.
Fogh Rasmussen met with Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet Wednesday and will travel to Lithuania Friday. Photo used courtesy of NATO.
Earlier in an interview with Estonia’s Postimees daily the secretary general said Georgia’s territorial integrity was a matter of principle. Currently Russia occupies approximately one-fifth of Georgian territory.
Fogh Rasmussen arrived in Riga from Estonia and was due to continue to Lithuania on Friday as he gets to know each of the 28 members of the alliance. He also wanted to thank the Baltic states to their contribution to the NATO-led operation in Afghanistan, which is currently under a massive review by the White House.
“We cannot allow Afghanistan once again to become a safe haven for terrorists. If we did, they could easily spread from Afghanistan through Central Asia and further — not to speak of the risk of destabilizing neighboring Pakistan, a nuclear power,” Fogh Rasmussen said.
