Anders Fogh Rasmussen News

NATO will pay more attention to the situation in the Arctic, reports Arctic-Info, citing the alliance's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Rasmussen explained that this is, in particular, due to the effects of climate change. At the NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Vilnius, Rasmussen recalled that warming in the Arctic region will actively develop shipping and more production of natural resources, which in his opinion may create more friction between various countries in the Arctic. Russia has actively increased its military presence in the Arctic. At the end of March, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Viktor Chirkov, said that Russia will increase strategic grouping of nuclear and non-nuclear deterrence in the Arctic. Source: Arctic-Info

The Ukrainian government said it will not attack pro-Russian separatists over the Easter weekend as its U.S. ally threatened Moscow with new sanctions if it fails to persuade the militants to surrender. The Kremlin denies having control over gunmen who want their eastern regions to follow Crimea in being annexed by Russia. Moscow scolded Washington for treating Russia like a "guilty schoolboy" following their agreement in Geneva on Thursday that Ukrainian militants should disarm and vacate occupied buildings. Ukraine's government, short of effective forces, has shown little sign of trying to recapture the dozen or so town halls, police stations and other sites seized over the past two weeks, despite proclaiming the launch of an "anti-terrorist operation".

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed NATO's selection of former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as its new head, saying on Saturday the pair had "very good relations" but that it was up to the West to improve ties. Relations between Russia and the NATO military alliance are at their worst since the Cold War following Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, a move Putin said on Thursday was partly influenced by NATO's expansion into eastern Europe. In an interview with the state-run Rossiya television station, to be broadcast later on Saturday, Putin indicated that the appointment of Stoltenberg, who takes over in October, could help ties. "We have very good relations, including personal relations.

Ukrainian forces launched a "special operation" on Tuesday against separatist militia in the Russian-speaking East, authorities said, although aside from a landing by airborne troops the action was limited. Soldiers disembarked from two helicopters at an airfield at Kramatorsk, where reporters earlier heard gunfire that seemed to prevent an air force plane from landing. The troops withdrew into barracks after local civilians manning a barricade gave them a hostile reception when they tried to leave the compound. In Kiev, acting President Oleksander Turchinov declared a much-needed victory over pro-Russian rebels by saying the air base had been "liberated." But there was no sign of militants.

Moscow. weapons. forces of Ukraine," Turchinov said in an address to the nation. months of pro-Western protests, for being behind the rash of rebellions across Russian-speaking towns in eastern Ukraine. "We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine," Turchinov said. in Ukraine's government under control. "It is now the West's responsibility to prevent civil war in Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement. A United Nations Security Council diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the council would meet at 8 p.m. GMT) in New York at Russia's request. Another diplomat said negotiations were under way on Ukraine's participation. bore "the telltale signs of Moscow's involvement". the table, and there's a lot in between," she added.

Global oil prices surged on Tuesday as a weaker U.S. dollar boosted buying, while expectations for bullish inventory reports in the U.S. and fresh unrest in eastern Ukraine lent support. As the U.S. dollar plunged to session lows against the Japanese yen and the euro, U.S. crude oil spiked $2 to a session high of $102.44 per barrel. Brent rose as much as $1.48 to a session high of $107.30 per barrel. A weaker U.S. currency encourages the buying of dollar-priced commodities like oil, which become cheaper. "We are seeing some build-up in crude oil from the weakness in the dollar, but we're still within the trading range we've seen," said Tariq Zahir, analyst Tyche Capital Investors. As of 1:14 p.m. EDT (1714 GMT), U.S. crude was up $1.64 at $102.08 per barrel.

In his first press conference since appointment as the head of NATO, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stated that he wants to see NATO having a standing anti-piracy role, with the capabilities, legal arrangements, and force generation in place to make it happen. (8/3/09). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)