Stoltenberg Takes Over at NATO With Conciliatory Tone Toward Russia

[Purveyor]

Source: WSJ

New Secretary-General Sees 'No Contradiction' in 'Constructive Relationship With Russia' and Strong NATO

Oct. 1, 2014 1:45 p.m. ET

BRUSSELS—NATO's new chief took a more conciliatory tone toward Russia on Wednesday than his predecessor had recently, saying the alliance's mission didn't preclude building relations with Moscow.

"My main message has been, today and for many years, that there is no contradiction between aspiring to a constructive relationship with Russia and, at the same time, being in favor of a strong NATO," Jens Stoltenberg said on his first day of office at the Brussels headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mr. Stoltenberg declined to say whether he agreed with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, his predecessor as NATO secretary-general, that Russia sees the alliance as an adversary.

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The softer tone toward Russia will be welcomed in some NATO capitals. While blaming Russia for the crisis in Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appeared to criticize Mr. Rasmussen's rhetoric. "I found some of the things that came in the last weeks from Brussels, from the NATO headquarters, not always helpful. I wasn't the only one in the German government who felt that way," he said last month.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/articles/stoltenberg-takes-over-at-nato-with-conciliatory-tone-toward-russia-1412185533

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[Hubert Flottz]

1. I guess Russia's threat about turning off the natural gas supply

to freeze Western Europe into submission, worked to perfection.

[Diclotican]

2. Hubert Flottz

Hubert Flottz

Norway do not need russian gas - as we have enough at our home - in fact 90-95 percent of all homes in Norway do not use gas in any form anyway - we use electricity as we have enough hydro-electric dams to produce the electricity all on our own - in fact we export the surplus to the rest of europe...

But Stoltenberg have some better knowledge about how Russia work - specially its leadership - it have been a natural way of things - that our politic ans have had some contact with its russian counterparts - and Stoltenberg is from a family of politician's - his father was a foreign minister in one of the Labor government of Brundtlands - and I guess the informal contacts from many years of public service - both from his Fathers time - and his own time - he have more than 30 year of public service behind him - including 8 year as Prime Minister - And I suspect the more friendly tone is not the same as mr Stoltenberg would cave to the russian demands - rather the opposite - it was Stoltenberg who broke the deal between Russia and Norway - when it come to close a deal about where the russian and Norwegian line in the Barents Sea should go - and it have been under political bitching for 40 years - but it was not before Stoltenberg and its government communicated with the counterpart in Russia - the deal was broken - and the divide between Russia and Norway was closed...

And in his young years - Stoltenberg was against NATO - and wanted Norway out of the partnership - now as a grown man - he are on the step to be the general secretary of the same organization he was against in his young years! - I suspect he will do a far better job than Rasmussen ever did - in fact I do believe Stoltenberg will be a good general secretary for NATO - he lack no diplomatic skills - and is able to communicate rather well - as the former prime-minister have some keen understanding about how the counterpart in Russia work - but it all depend of if the counterparts in Russia want to be more at peace with the West too... As general secretary of NATO he is the leader of a organization of more than 20 states - who half of them is afraid of Russia - because of a bloody and brutal history just 25-30 years back in time - and he also have some big powers - like UK, France and the US, who have its own goals to match in the game who is outbuilding in Europe after 25 years of relative peace... So it would not be easy for Stoltenberg to do what he believe is best - when he have more than 20 different voices who want something else than he want - but I do believe he is better prepared than Rasmussen was - when he was elected General Secretary - mostly because I think he have the skills to solve some of the issues at hand - but I do hope he also have some advisor's - and others who can give him the best information he is able to get - on each of the issues he got his hand on - and who might be important to solve for NATO..

Dicloican

[Hubert Flottz]

3. Thanks for the information Dicloican

and welcome to DU.

[Diclotican]

4. Hubert Flottz

Hubert Flottz

Thank you - even if I have been here some years now

Diclotican

[karynnj]

6. Thank you for this detailed analysis

He sounds like a great person to have in that position. We need people who want to be diplomats!

[Diclotican]

7. karynnj

karynnj

I do hope he will be a good general secretary for NATO - at least I do believe he have some quality around him - both from his father - and the connections he have in Russia - to his own experience working with Russia for many years as a political leader - and Prime minister for many years - and he might not be to anyones liking - specially the right (they often hate him) are not to happy about his new job - as they was not happy as he as Prime Minister of Norway - he might not be the most innovative Prime Minister we have had - but he managed to clear Norway true some of the worst economical disaster for a century after 2008 - and we do not even got a dent in the pocket.... As most of Europe was on fire..

He is a diplomat at heart - no doubt about it - and I think he might do a decent job in his new job - as he did in his job as our prime minister for many years - after all - he was elected twice for prime minister - and could have been prime minister for 4 new years - in a minority role if he choose to do it - but then he had to work together with some of the more conservative parties - and a she already had been asked to be the next general secretary for NATO - he choose to go for that job - instead of prime minister of Norway - after all - it is a far bigger Pound to swim in than Norway...

But he do have some shallenges ahead of him - specially the issue with Russia - who have been a headace for a while now - and how to respond to Putins antics - or for the matter - how the future of NATO is - is it a handytool for the US alone - or should NATO do more on its own - inside its own territory so to speak.. And how to respond to crisis no one know about at the moment..
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Diclotican

[Strelnikov_]

5. ..