GERMANY: Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says NATO should consult more countries on security

Record ID: 677246

  • Title: GERMANY: Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says NATO should consult more countries on security
  • Date: 8th February 2010
  • Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 7, 2010) (REUTERS) PHOTOGRAPHERS
  • Embargoed: 23rd February 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA60MFI80R4Z7NORMG1D9NF5IYS
  • Story Text: NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says he wants to consult with Asian powers and Russia.
    NATO should develop closer ties with China, India, Pakistan and Russia and consult with them on the Afghan conflict and other security issues, the alliance's head said on Sunday (February 7).
    The four countries all had interests in stability in Afghanistan and could do more to help develop and assist the country, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the Munich Security Conference ahead of discussion of a new NATO Strategic Concept. .
    "What would be the harm if countries such as China, India, Pakistan and others were to develop closer ties with NATO? I think, in fact, there would only be a benefit, in terms of trust, confidence and cooperation," Rasmussen said.
    The alliance should become a forum for consultation with many other countries on a range of global security issues ranging from terrorism, cyber attacks, nuclear proliferation, piracy, climate change and competition for natural resources as well as Afghanistan, he said.
    The former Danish Prime Minister said NATO, a Western military alliance grouping 26 European nations, Canada and the United States, had already shown itself capable of combining consultation, military planning and actual operations for more than just NATO members.
    NATO was already assisting counter-piracy and humanitarian operations off Somalia, working with the African Union and carrying out operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan, he said.
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