NATO Offers Russia Access To U.S. Satellite Data...

[Sandra]

NATO Offers Russia Access To U.S. Satellite Data...


Friday, 12 November 2010

NATO will offer Russia access to some US military satellite data in
exchange for its participation in a missile shield project for
continental Europe, a Moscow newspaper reported Friday.
The offer will come as part of a broader deal to be extended to Russia at
the NATO-Russia Council that immediately follows the 28-member Alliance's
Nov. 19-20 summit in Lisbon, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper quoted a
NATO source as saying.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has accepted an invitation to attend
the talks, which will also focus on NATO's activities in Afghanistan, in
which Russia is also taking part.

NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has invited Russia to join the proposed
missile shield, at the same time stressing that "we do not want to
impose a specific missile defense architecture on Russia."

Medvedev has cautiously welcomed the deal but said Russia would like to
see more details.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta cited a NATO source as saying that the deal involves
a proposal to share information about missile and other threats.

It would also grant Russia access to some US satellite intelligence
imagery, including about countries such as North Korea.

"By joining the NATO system ... Moscow could strengthen the
territorial security of Russia by receiving 'certain information' from US
satellites -- for example, images of the DPRK [North Korea]," the
newspaper wrote, citing its NATO source.

Russia would also be offered broader political consultations that give
Moscow a chance to voice any potential concerns about the shield, and
invited to joint NATO exercises and training sessions, the report
said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that Russia was open
to cooperation with NATO on missile defense, but added that the
partnership must be on equal terms.

"We proceed from the fact that if it's equal cooperation ... then
such cooperation is quite possible. Strategic partnership should be built
on an equal basis," he said.




http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/16827/53/

[Sandra]

Hummmm, since when does NATO have any right to offer anything from the US? Has zero signed away all of our rights.