FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

---

NATO General Seeks Cooperation with Moscow, To Drop the Term ‘Russian Aggression’

March 8, 2018 (EIRNS)—Gen. Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, said in Washington today that the term “Russian aggression” should no longer be used, now that “there is a chance” to cooperate with Russia.

Pavel, from the Czech Republic, holds NATO’s highest military position, the first general officer from the former Warsaw Pact to do so. He was answering a question from TASS on what he thinks are the prospects of overcoming the current tensions between NATO and Russia, and leaving behind the legacy of the Cold War.

“I am always a cautious optimist. I believe that there is a chance to have better relations between NATO and Russia. We need probably more impulse to move the dialogue forward. Up to now, the standard agenda is quite vague. We need to get more into substance to move ahead,” the NATO general stressed.

As for the Baltic states, he said NATO sees “no obvious offensive acts” from Russia in Baltic countries.

“All we have [seen] in the region is increased military presence, more exercises, more flights of long-range aviation, more use of intelligence. But I wouldn’t call it ‘aggression,’ ”

the general said.