The latest North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence ministers meeting raised three red-flags to Russian Federation, on Syria, Georgia, and Eastern Europe.
Advertisement
Britain is to station troops in the Baltic states amid growing tension with Russian Federation in the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s military intervention in Syria.
“This is the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence since the end of the Cold War and by doing that we provide a deterrence which is so essential to make sure that all North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries are safe and that they can rely on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation”.
They were echoed by Britain’s ambassador to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Sir Adam Thomson, who said war games were on the agenda.
He said the government is still trying to win MPs’ support for British strikes despite having to convince Tory backbenchers and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
‘What it does do is complicate an already hard situation and make it very much more risky because these planes are not being co-ordinated with the rest of the campaign and more importantly than that, the strikes don’t seem to be for the most part strikes against Isil.
“If Russian Federation wants to help here, the single most helpful thing they can do is use their influence on Assad to stop barrel-bombing his own civilians, their children, his own cities and villages, ” Fallon said.
On Tuesday, Prime David Cameron said he could not put a timescale on the vote, saying the government would “go back at a time when there’s a greater consensus across the House of Commons”.
Fallon said work must now be done to “deconflict” Syrian airspace but it was still possible for western nations to hit Islamic State in its stronghold of Raqqa.
The Defence Secretary told LBC radio: “It’s a new Parliament”. “NATO has already responded by increasing our capacity, our ability, our preparedness to deploy forces including to the south, including in Turkey,” he said, noting that Russia’s air and cruise missile strikes were “reasons for concern”.
“You need a Syrian government that can appeal not just to the Alawites but to the Sunnis, the Kurds and Christians”. “All of this sends a clear message to all North Atlantic Treaty Organisation citizens”.
Asked about the United Kingdom joining the airstrikes, he said: “Isil is organised and directed in north-east Syria that is being targeted by America, French and Australian air forces”.
Advertisement
The summit declared “we are determined to build a lasting and inclusive peace, together with Russian Federation, in the Euro-Atlantic Area”.
