Post-Soviet nations to form military force

[Princess of Heaven]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe...ary/index.html

[ChristineMarie]

Russia hosts ex-Soviet security summit

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Russia sought to strengthen its security alliance with six other ex-Soviet nations Wednesday by forming a joint rapid reaction force in a continuing effort to curb U.S. influence in energy-rich Central Asia.

The summit of the Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization came a day after Kyrgyzstan said it would end the U.S. lease of an air base that supports military operations in Afghanistan. The eviction of U.S. troops would mark a victory for Moscow in what it considers its historic backyard.

Russia, Armenia, Belarus and four Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — agreed Wednesday to set up a joint rapid reaction force. The force is expected to have about 10,000 men and function under a central command, replacing the existing force, which has 3,000 and it is not under unified command.

The move would strengthen the military dimension of the alliance, which has served mostly as a forum for security consultations. A Kremlin adviser said Russian paratroopers would form the core of the force.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...iet-Summit.php

[Galoutofdixie]

LOL, I'm not awake yet.... I just now noticed that this is the same link tha Penny posted.

Story Highlights
Seven nations agree to form rapid-reaction force

Russian media say force will fight terrorism, respond to disasters

It will be based in Russia under a single command

Report comes after Kyrgyzstan says it will close U.S. base

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/eu...tml#cnnSTCText

Post-Soviet nations to form military force

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A Russian-led bloc of post-Soviet nations has agreed to establish a rapid-reaction military force to combat terrorists and respond to regional emergencies, Russian media reported Wednesday.

The decision came a day after reports that Kyrgyzstan is planning to close a strategically important U.S. military base that Washington uses to transport troops and supplies into Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, the Collective Security Treaty Organization -- made up of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan -- decided on the rapid-reaction force at a Kremlin summit, the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

The group's security council "spent a long time discussing the central issue of forming collective reaction forces and, generally, of rapid reaction to possible threats," said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, according to Russian news agency Interfax. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/eu...tml#cnnSTCText

[ChristineMarie]

now couple that with what the OIC is trying to do and you have a real nasty stew brewing there missy....

[Galoutofdixie]

I can't get the "OIC" linky to open. Can you re-cap for me? Purty pwease...

[ChristineMarie]

Zahid: OIC Needs A Peace-keeping Force


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- The time is ripe for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to form a peace-keeping force to be deployed in troubled Islamic nations like Palestine, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said that apart from joining forces to boycott Israel and US goods, as suggested by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday, the world Islamic community had to combine its strength to form a peace-keeping force.

"We have to use the existing premise, which is the OIC. We need to do more on a united front. Not all OIC nations would be favourable to this idea but if we have the majority, then why not?" he told reporters after opening the Ade Nasution Centre here.

He said the United Nations and the UN Security Council were not playing their role effectively in curbing the Israel-Palestine conflict, which had resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.

He said the OIC peace-keeping force could also be asked to work hand-in-hand with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to enforce peace in troubled regions, if the need arose.

"This is an idea which could be explored. It must first be accepted by the heads of OIC states. There is an urgent need for the OIC to convene a special summit for this purpose," he added.

Dr Zahid said he would bring up this proposal to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday as "he can bring it up at any OIC forum he attends in due course".

The Ade Nasution centre was formed on Nov 19 last year in an effort to get some 950,000 registered Indonesian voters working in this country to exercise their democratic right in the Indonesian elections slated for April 9 this year.

The centre is the brainchild of Ade Nasution, an Indonesian politician who would be contesting in the polls under the Parti Amanat Nasional (Indonesia) banner.

"I would like to clarify that the opening of the centre by me is not to interfere in the internal politics of Indonesia but as a favour for Ade who has been my friend for more than 20 years," said Dr Zahid.

On another matter, Dr Zahid, who is in charge of Islamic matters under the Prime Minister's Department, said the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board (Tabung Haji) was looking to purchase 140,000 hectares of land in Kalimantan, Indonesia, for oil palm cultivation.

"We have about 60,000 hectares of oil palm plantation in Riau. In total, Tabung Haji would have 200,000 hectares of oil palm plantation in Indonesia.

"Although the price of palm oil is low in the market now, we have agreements with several nations and this ensures steady price for the commodity," he added.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/ne....php?id=381473

[Galoutofdixie]

Thanks so much!

So much going on, it boggles the mind.

[4given]

Russia and post-Soviet allies to create joint air defense system

Russia and its post-Soviet allies are planning to create a joint air defense system stretching from NATO's borders to China, news agencies quoted an official from their Moscow-led regional security group as saying on Friday.

Russia and post-Soviet allies to create joint air defense system

Russia and Belarus, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, agreed on Tuesday to merge their air defense systems in a move seen by many experts as a response to U.S. plans to deploy elements of its missile defense system in Eastern Europe.



"The united air defense system of Russia and Belarus will become part of a joint air defense system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB)," Interfax news agency quoted general secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha as saying.



The seven-member ODKB also includes the Caucasus republic of Armenia and four Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.



"We are planning to create within the framework of our organization three regional air defense systems including Russia-Belarus, Russia-Armenian in the Caucasus region and the Central Asian air defense system," Bordyuzha added.



The joint air defense project, which would combine early warning systems of member states and create a single control centre, has been talked about for years. Bordyuzha did not say when the project would finally be accomplished.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/w...5484.asp?scr=1

[4given]

COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION (CSTO)