Sourced: Balkan Insight By Filip Rudic, Erjone Popova Goran Rakic, the president of the main Kosovo Serb party, Srpska Lista, said on Tuesday that an Association of Serbian Municipalities will be set up independently from Pristina and that the party will leave the Kosovo government. “We informed President Aleksandar Vucic of this, and he said… Continue reading KOSOVO SERBS TO QUIT PRISTINA GOVERNMENT AFTER DEPORTATION
Month: March 2018
POWER PLAYS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN: THE “GREAT GAME” GOES TO SEA ?
Sourced: Offiziere By Paul Pryce Even as tensions simmer between India and China on the Doklam Plateau, where troops from both sides engaged in a two-month standoff in 2017 over Chinese efforts to build a road through territory disputed by India and Bhutan, the rivalry continues unabated at sea — namely, in the Indian Ocean… Continue reading POWER PLAYS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN: THE “GREAT GAME” GOES TO SEA ?
TURKEY PREPARES FOR A POMPEO PROBLEM
Sourced: The National Interest By Gonul Tol The tension between Turkey and the United States appeared to have diminished after the outgoing Secretary Rex Tillerson’s visit to Turkey in February. The two countries had been at loggerheads over a number of issues, particularly U.S. support for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, seen as terrorists by… Continue reading TURKEY PREPARES FOR A POMPEO PROBLEM
HMS OCEAN DECOMMISSIONED FROM THE ROYAL NAVY, SOLD TO BRAZIL
Sourced: UK Defence Journal By George Allison HMS Ocean was the Royal Navy’s Landing Platform Helicopter and Fleet Flagship. A helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ship, Ocean was designed to deliver troops to the centre of the action by helicopter or by landing craft. Aviation capabilities include six helicopter operating spots on her flight deck… Continue reading HMS OCEAN DECOMMISSIONED FROM THE ROYAL NAVY, SOLD TO BRAZIL
TURKISH REPORTS SAY GREEK OFFICERS COULD FACE UP TO 5 YEARS PRISON
Sourced: EKathimerini There is concrete evidence to support charges against the two Greek soldiers detained in Turkey after crossing the border earlier this month, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said Tuesday citing an unnamed judicial source. According to the same source, the sentence for the alleged offense is five years in prison. No more details… Continue reading TURKISH REPORTS SAY GREEK OFFICERS COULD FACE UP TO 5 YEARS PRISON
ITALY PLANS TO SPEND $951 MILLION ON 20 SURVEILLANCE DRONES
Sourced: Defence News By Tom Kington Italy is edging closer to acquiring a new surveillance drone based on a business aircraft design. The UAV will offer 24-hour endurance and have a top speed of 330 knots. Italy’s Ministry of Defence last month sent an acquisition request to Parliament’s defense commission for 20 Piaggio Aerospace P.2HH… Continue reading ITALY PLANS TO SPEND $951 MILLION ON 20 SURVEILLANCE DRONES
EU LEADERS CONDEMN TURKEY FOR ILLEGAL ACTIONS AS TRANSGRESSIONS CONTINUE
Sourced: EKathimerini European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday unanimously condemned Turkey for its aggression toward Greece and Cyprus and called on Ankara to release two Greek soldiers who have been in Turkish custody for more than three weeks. In a draft common statement, the European Council “strongly condemns Turkey’s continued illegal actions in… Continue reading EU LEADERS CONDEMN TURKEY FOR ILLEGAL ACTIONS AS TRANSGRESSIONS CONTINUE
TRUMP REPLACED MCMASTER WITH JOHN BOLTON AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
Sourced: Defence News By Jill Colvin, Catherine Lucey, and Ken Thomas President Donald Trump is replacing national security adviser H.R. McMaster with the former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, injecting a hawkish foreign policy voice into his administration ahead of key decisions on Iran and North Korea. Trump tweeted Thursday that McMaster has done “an outstanding… Continue reading TRUMP REPLACED MCMASTER WITH JOHN BOLTON AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
US ARM TWISTING TURKEY TO ABANDON RUSSIAN S-400 DEAL AND BUY PATRIOTS INSTEAD
Sourced: Defence World The United States will begin a high pressure lobbying and arm-twisting effort to force Turkey to abandon the S-400 missile defence system deal with Russia and buy US-made Patriots instead. Acting assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs Tina Kaidanow is expected to travel to Turkey next week to swing Ankara’s decision… Continue reading US ARM TWISTING TURKEY TO ABANDON RUSSIAN S-400 DEAL AND BUY PATRIOTS INSTEAD
RUSSIA, WEST INCREASING THEIR MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE ARCTIC
Sourced: Navy Recognition The joint ICEX-2018 exercise of the United States, the UK, Canada and Norway began in the Arctic in March 2018. Three nuclear submarines surfaced through the ice of the Beaufort Sea. The Izvestia daily writes about growing military activities of the regional countries. The Skate polar station was set up in the… Continue reading RUSSIA, WEST INCREASING THEIR MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE ARCTIC