The West launches Baltic defense plans

  • 2008-08-22
  • In cooperation with BNS

RIGA- Western partners have launched preparation of the Baltic defense plan. The planis not however a response to Russia'smilitary aggression in Georgia.

Latvian Defense Minister Vinets Veldre confirmed in aninterview with Latvian daily Diena thatsuch a plan has been launched before the events in Georgia.

The minister declined to reveal whether this plan is beingprepared together with NATO or any alliance's members, saying that it is a state secret.

 The NATO press service reported that there had been no suchdiscussions.


Defense Ministry's spokesman Edgars Rinkevics underscored that NATO at presenthas no such plans as during the cold war, therefore the new member states havebeen left without any defense plans.

 
He declined to name any principles which should be includedin the new defense plans.


"Conclusions have been drawn in spring when we received information aboutlarge-scale military exercise in Northern Caucasus,"said the minister.


Meanwhile, Rinkevics said that Latviahas to seriously consider possibilities of cyber-attacks.

Former Latvian ambassador to the UN Aivis Ronis noted thatcloser Baltic cooperation in air-defense and closer military cooperation withNordic countries should be promoted.