Scheffer: No 'special solidarity' with Baltics

RIGA - NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said that the military alliance will not show the Baltics any "special solidarity," but pledged that it would do whatever was necessary to protect its territory.

"I think given NATO's [position], there is no need to show special solidarity with the Baltics. As I said, NATO for almost 60 years is functioning very well as a highly effective alliance, and nobody should doubt that this alliance, if necessary, will do what is necessary," Scheffer said. 

Scheffer made the comments at a press conference in Riga following meetings with Latvian president Valdis Zatlers and foreign ministers from all three Baltic states.

The NATO head was sure to mention, however, that the organization did not see Russia as a threat. 

"We have our fundamental differences with the Russian federation, we had them already before they were embarking on disproportionate force in Georgia, and did their bad things in Georgia, but we do not consider Russia a threat," he said.

President Zatlers, meanwhile, reaffirmed the country's commitment to NATO by emphasizing that all Latvian bases were a part of the alliance. 

"NATO is here, and Latvian bases are NATO bases. So we have a common area to defend, we are in a collective defense system," the president told journalists after meeting with Scheffer.

The NATO head said that the trip had been preplanned, but that he had taken to opportunity to discuss the situation in Georgia. Scheffer's trip coincided with a international naval training mission known as "Open Spirit 2007." 

The naval training exercise involved nine warships hailing from Belgium, France, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany. More than 500 sailors 's 400 of whom are foreign 's are due to take part in the exercise.

The training mission will take place between Aug. 28 and Sept. 14.