Canada asks Russia for training-mission notice

[CHIMO]

Source: Friday's Globe and Mail

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said he has asked the Russian government to start notifying Ottawa before sending bombers on training missions that approach Canada's borders and trigger intercepts by NORAD jets – saying he is puzzled as to what Moscow's ultimate goal is here.

“I do sometimes wonder why the Russians would want to spend so much fuel to fly up to our borders,” Mr. Cannon told reporters Thursday. “I don't have an answer on that.”

Arctic security experts say Norway is asking the same questions about other military operations the Russians have resumed in recent years – patrols that follow old Cold War routes in the air and at sea.

Mr. Cannon met his Russian counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov, at The Hague last week, only days after the Conservative minister vowed that Canada “will not be bullied” into ceding sovereignty in the North even as Moscow plans special armed forces for the Arctic.



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090409.wPOLbombers10/BNStory/politics/home

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If you have to ask!

What a bunch of weak ....

You answer power with intelligence. Not this Bush type of talk. Do it.

[Blandocyte]

1. Prolly just flirtin' with Sarah

Putin rearing his head and all...

[Grinchie]

2. Ask the U.S.A.F, they probably know why the Russian's would do this.

Considering that the USAF and Navy did it nearly every day for Decades.

[amandabeech]

3. The Russians, and the U,S., believe that there is considerable oil and gas

under the Arctic Sea. I'm not sure of the Canadian position.

A couple of years ago, the Russians claimed a large part of the Arctic because of an extension of a ridge that went into the Russian continental shelf, IIRC.

This is the Russian method of intimidating the Canadians from asserting their claim to a considerable portion of the Arctic.

Look for this to continue off and on for some time.

[EFerrari]

4. Bingo, amandabeech. n/t

[amandabeech]

5. I thought that I needed I-2, but thanks.