NATO's poised for a crucial summit in Lisbon this weekend to map out missile defence, it's strategy in Afghanistan and the entire role of the Alliance. The Presidents of Russia and the US will meet there.
Russia's envoy to NATO says while Moscow and the Alliance are moving closer on some issues, common ground on non-proliferation and missile defence in Europe still needs work.
Diana Johnstone - a political writer, says she is skeptical about the chances of NATO and Russia co-operating successfully in the future, especially in areas such as missile defence.
Despite appeasing rhetoric, the US is not going to stop its confrontation with Russia, says Johnstone, who recently released a book on the role of NATO in the modern world.
“I don’t see that the United States has decided it is pointless to have confrontations with Russia. Why then is it building forces in the Arctic, bringing Canadian and Scandinavian forces into the armed forces whose only purpose could be to confront Russia over resources in the Arctic, assuming that the Arctic icecap melts and opens up possible resources?” she said to RT.
“Also, the Unites States is carrying out military maneuvers in the Baltic, whose only opposition could be Russia,” she added.
Thank you Diana Johnstone for your sober and wellinformed comments. Nice to see/hear that you carry on with your good work. Do you remember when we made an interview with you here in Gothenburg concerning the war against Jugoslavia. It is tragic to see how Sweden now has become totally subordinated since Karl Rove et al won the elections here to the Reinfeldt administration. I send you a lot of love! Take care and carry on.
Bo