wikileaks #cables #09BERLIN978

the German embassy to Washington...
http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/08/09BERLIN978.html

"...Germany has again volunteered to head the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission."
 Germany is volunteering to watch out for Russian jets over the baltic see under NATO command. NATO is under Pentagon command. (see my earlier post).

"...along with increased NATO-Russian cooperation will move Russia further along the path to becoming a reliable international partner."
NATO - Russian cooperation? since when US and Russia cooperate?

"... which has included German training and exchange programs for hundreds of Baltic troops in recent years. "

"The MFA (Frank-Walter Steinmeier? or "MFA Head of Northern Europe Division Thomas Terstegen"?) considers the efforts ... to stall NATO-Russia Council"
Now this council is interesting:"The NATO-Russia Council (NRC), established in 2002, is a mechanism for consultation, consensus-building, cooperation, joint decision and joint action. Within the NRC, the individual NATO member states and Russia work as equal partners on a wide spectrum of security issues of common interest."(quelle)
 "...the MFA thinks Russia may be willing to cooperate more with NATO vis-a-vis Iran..."
What happened to the cold war? NATO members and Russia as equal partners? This would mean Russia under NATO or US command.

How was that again? There is a new pipeline project from Russia to Germany through the Baltic sea and around the Balts. Its finishing 2012. I Guess that needs to be protected. Maybe without any pipeline on their soil, the Balts are just not important anymore to protect. And they feel Russia could just take them if it wants. But what would Russia gain doing that?
Or maybe the Balts need to be convinced that Germany needs a pipeline close to their territory and doesnt want to pay them for the transit? I guess Gerhard Schröder, the former German chancellor and head of Nord Stream AG did not make a good job convincing the Balts of his project.
And there we also have the Russian cooperation. -they will deliver gas.


please leave a comment, if you like this post or not...