NATO high-level talks kick off amid frictions

Foreign ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) gathered on Wednesday for two-day talks to mark the 70th anniversary of the Military alliance, with Russia remaining a central topic and NATO's internal friction exposed.

While the high-level talks among top diplomats from NATO's 29 member states were expected to work on a strategy for countering "Russian threats," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday struck a rather mild tone on Russia in a speech to the U.S. lawmakers.

"We do not want a new arms race. We do not want a new Cold War," said Stoltenberg addressing a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

"We do not want to isolate Russia. We strive for a better relationship with Russia," Stoltenberg said.

He also suggested the two sides talking "to reduce risks, to avoid incidents, accidents and miscalculations."

Meanwhile, Stoltenberg made it clear that NATO will "take the necessary steps to provide credible and effective deterrence" against Russia.

Stoltenberg also called for unity in the bloc while recognizing its serious divergence, which could be sensed even in the meetings of celebration.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday warned Turkey, a NATO ally, against purchasing the S-400 air defense system from Russia, despite Ankara's firm stance on the deal.

"Turkey must choose," Pence said at an event to celebrate NATO's founding in 1949.

However, Turkey has insisted that the Russian deal was done, indicating a serious friction between the two NATO allies.

"The S-400 deal is a done deal and we will not step back from this," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the same event in Washington.

In his speech, Pence also scolded his European allies for their insufficient Military spending, a repeated rhetoric of Washington. He particularly complained about Berlin's under-the-benchmark expenses.

U.S. President Donald Trump, during his Tuesday meeting with Stoltenberg, also urged NATO members, Germany in particular, to increase Military expenses.

Claiming the United States is ripped off, the current U.S. government has been hyping up the talk of burden-sharing in a bid to pressure its European allies to spend more on defense.

It has also been reported that NATO had planned week-long celebrations for its 70th anniversary with participation of multiple government leaders, but it finally decided to downgrade it to ministerial-level talks given Trump's past behavior at NATO's gatherings.

The two-day high-level talks have aroused protests in Washington from those against the plan to increase security spending.

Some U.S. arms manufacturers and lawmakers were provoking fear to sell weapons, Pat Elder, a member of the "No to NATO" organization, told Xinhua on Wednesday.

"We should immediately cut spending for NATO," Elder said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)