This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/03/world/europe/kerry-nato-syria-russia.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| NATO Unveils Plans to Grow as Kerry Reaffirms U.S. Desire to Remove Assad | NATO Unveils Plans to Grow as Kerry Reaffirms U.S. Desire to Remove Assad |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BRUSSELS — NATO announced plans on Wednesday to enlarge its membership, a move that brought an angry response from Moscow, as Secretary of State John Kerry sought support from the alliance as he reaffirmed Washington’s desire to remove President Bashar al-Assad of Syria from power. | BRUSSELS — NATO announced plans on Wednesday to enlarge its membership, a move that brought an angry response from Moscow, as Secretary of State John Kerry sought support from the alliance as he reaffirmed Washington’s desire to remove President Bashar al-Assad of Syria from power. |
| Tensions between NATO and Russia were already high after Turkey, an alliance member, shot down a Russian warplane last week, and the decision to invite Montenegro to join the military alliance adds another layer of complication to efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria. | Tensions between NATO and Russia were already high after Turkey, an alliance member, shot down a Russian warplane last week, and the decision to invite Montenegro to join the military alliance adds another layer of complication to efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria. |
| Mr. Kerry told a news conference after a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers here that the goal of removing Mr. Assad, who has benefited from the support of Russia, did not necessarily mean “regime change” in Damascus. | Mr. Kerry told a news conference after a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers here that the goal of removing Mr. Assad, who has benefited from the support of Russia, did not necessarily mean “regime change” in Damascus. |
| The army should not be allowed “to implode” or the health and education systems to fall apart, Mr. Kerry said, describing those possibilities as “disastrous.” | |
| But Mr. Assad must go because he “does not have legitimacy to heal the country,” said Mr. Kerry, who called on Russia and Iran to support a peaceful transition of power in Damascus. | But Mr. Assad must go because he “does not have legitimacy to heal the country,” said Mr. Kerry, who called on Russia and Iran to support a peaceful transition of power in Damascus. |
| “That is not regime change — that is Assad change,” he said. | “That is not regime change — that is Assad change,” he said. |
| In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said that NATO’s expansion would be met with retaliatory measures from Russia, Reuters reported, and Russia was also reportedly planning to halt joint projects with Montenegro. | In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said that NATO’s expansion would be met with retaliatory measures from Russia, Reuters reported, and Russia was also reportedly planning to halt joint projects with Montenegro. |
| The invitation to Montenegro to join NATO was “another step toward the full integration of Europe and toward the common defense,” Mr. Kerry said. | The invitation to Montenegro to join NATO was “another step toward the full integration of Europe and toward the common defense,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| NATO would also maintain a “persistent presence on NATO’s eastern edge,” said Mr. Kerry, who underlined that this was to “provide assurance.” | NATO would also maintain a “persistent presence on NATO’s eastern edge,” said Mr. Kerry, who underlined that this was to “provide assurance.” |
| The invitation to Montenegro was also not sprung “out of the blue sky” on Russia, Mr. Kerry said. He suggested that Moscow had overreacted and was misconstruing the further expansion of NATO to include Montenegro. | The invitation to Montenegro was also not sprung “out of the blue sky” on Russia, Mr. Kerry said. He suggested that Moscow had overreacted and was misconstruing the further expansion of NATO to include Montenegro. |
| The alliance “is not focused on Russia per se or anybody else,” Mr. Kerry said. He added that an expanded NATO could help members counter threats including those posed by extremists from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. | The alliance “is not focused on Russia per se or anybody else,” Mr. Kerry said. He added that an expanded NATO could help members counter threats including those posed by extremists from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. |
| Moscow, he said, should focus on the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the eastern areas of Ukraine in exchange for the lifting of Western sanctions after Russia annexed Crimea and helped foment a civil war in East Ukraine. | Moscow, he said, should focus on the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the eastern areas of Ukraine in exchange for the lifting of Western sanctions after Russia annexed Crimea and helped foment a civil war in East Ukraine. |
| Mr. Kerry said that progress had been made on sealing the porous border between Syria and Turkey, which has been an important lifeline for the Islamic State and an irritant for the countries fighting the militant group. | Mr. Kerry said that progress had been made on sealing the porous border between Syria and Turkey, which has been an important lifeline for the Islamic State and an irritant for the countries fighting the militant group. |
| He said that talks on Sunday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey could lead to the closing of a stretch of the border that runs for about 60 miles. “President Erdogan is completely committed to and ready to proceed with Turkish forces and in cooperation with others, to help guarantee that the remaining portion of the border is sealed,” Mr. Kerry said. | He said that talks on Sunday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey could lead to the closing of a stretch of the border that runs for about 60 miles. “President Erdogan is completely committed to and ready to proceed with Turkish forces and in cooperation with others, to help guarantee that the remaining portion of the border is sealed,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| There would be further consultations between Turkish and American military authorities to ensure that the border could no longer be used to move “illegally transported oil,” a crucial source of funds for the militants, or “the passage of foreign fighters in one direction or another,” Mr. Kerry said. | There would be further consultations between Turkish and American military authorities to ensure that the border could no longer be used to move “illegally transported oil,” a crucial source of funds for the militants, or “the passage of foreign fighters in one direction or another,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| That effort could involve a combination of air power and forces fighting on the ground in Syria, he said. | That effort could involve a combination of air power and forces fighting on the ground in Syria, he said. |
| Mr. Kerry also praised efforts by Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain to allow his country to join the United States in carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria. | Mr. Kerry also praised efforts by Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain to allow his country to join the United States in carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria. |
| Mr. Cameron, who faces a crucial vote in Parliament later on Wednesday about whether to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, was taking a “very important step,” he said. | Mr. Cameron, who faces a crucial vote in Parliament later on Wednesday about whether to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, was taking a “very important step,” he said. |