NATO tells EU not to duplicate military resourcesMarch 11, 2015 - 17:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The civilian and military heads of NATO cautioned the European Union on Wednesday, March 11, against duplicating efforts following remarks by the president of the EU Commission suggesting the bloc should develop an "EU army" to deter Russia, Reuters reported. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the Western defense alliance, told a news conference he would welcome increased European investment in defense, but said duplication would be inefficient. "It's important to avoid duplication and I urge Europe to make sure that everything they do is complementary to the NATO alliance," he said. General Philip Breedlove, the U.S. supreme commander of NATO forces, told the news conference he was "not concerned" by the comments at the weekend by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "But what we would like to avoid is any duplication because we need to smartly invest," Breedlove said. Juncker told a German newspaper on Sunday that the EU needed its own army to face up to a resurgent Russia and other threats as well as to restore the bloc's foreign policy standing around the world. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |