EU Ambassador to Afghanistan Vygaudas Ušackas: Progress evident but fragile
Lithuanian diplomat Vygaudas Ušackas, the European Union's (EU) outgoing Ambassador to Afghanistan, says that the progress made in the country is evident, yet fragile and still to be secured. READ MORE
Partnerships on the agenda in Kyiv
Partnerships writ large was the focus of the third annual Euro-Atlantic Partnership Day, hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv on 11 July 2013. The event served to highlight the importance of dialogue and cooperation between countries as well as international organisations in today’s security environment. READ MORE
Afghan forces will need help after NATO mission ends: Pentagon
Afghan forces will require significant support from the U.S. military and its allies after the NATO combat mission ends next year, according to a new Pentagon report implicitly warning against a "zero option" of total withdrawal. READ MORE
Tajikistan and U.S. discuss cooperation in ensuring regional security
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Commander of U.S. Central Command Lloyd Austin III on Tuesday, the presidential press-service reported. READ MORE
Georgia is ready for Transit Provision for Coalition Forces
Georgia's transit opportunity was a key talking point of the meeting at Georgian Defence Ministry today. Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania and Commander U.S. Transportation Command, General William M. Fraser discussed ISAF reverse transit of NATO forces and cargos and alternative transit way through Georgia. READ MORE
Barroso declines to comment on options for NATO top job
Asked today (24 July) if he had plans to be the next NATO secretary-general, Commission President José Manuel Barroso declined to comment. The race for the job, which will become available next year, has already started, sources told EurActiv, with Belgian Defence Minister Pieter De Crem considered the favourite. READ MORE
NATO Secretary General praises Italy’s NATO contributions during Rome visit
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen thanked Italy for its significant contributions to the Alliance during talks with Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta in Rome on Thursday (25 July 2013). “Italy has been a staunch member of our Alliance since its creation and continues to demonstrate strong commitment to NATO every day in many different ways,” the Secretary General said. READ MORE
NATO to send observers to Russia-Belarus war games
NATO member-states will use Russia’s invitation to send military observers to the Russian-Belarusian war games Zapad’2013, a diplomatic source at the mission of one of the member-nations said upon the results of Wednesday’s session of the Russia-NATO Council. READ MORE
U.S. Considers Faster Pullout in Afghanistan
Increasingly frustrated by his dealings with President Hamid Karzai, President Obama is giving serious consideration to speeding up the withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan and to a “zero option” that would leave no American troops there after next year, according to American and European officials. READ MORE
Visiting German Finance Minister Faces Greek Protests
Thousands of police officers lined the streets of Athens on Thursday as the German finance minister visited the Greek capital. His arrival comes as a controversial bill was passed in the Greek parliament to eliminate thousands of public sector jobs. READ MORE
