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NATO plans to deploy five bases in Eastern Europe - newspaper

The bases are planned in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania and Poland

© EPA/JOZEF JAKUBCO

BERLIN, August 31, /ITAR-TASS/. NATO plans to deploy five bases in Eastern Europe, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported on Sunday. The bases are planned in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania and Poland.

According to the NATO plans, up to 600 servicemen will be stationed at each base, the newspaper says, giving no particulars, adding that these plans will be discussed in detail at the forthcoming NATO summit in Wales on September 5 - 6.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said previously in an interview to the same newspaper that the alliance sought more tangible presence in Eastern Europe. According to him, the Wales summit will make a decision to raise effectiveness of the NATO rapid deployment forces to more promptly respond to new threats.

Rasmussen said these “spearhead” forces would require the creation of the corresponding infrastructure in the alliance’s member states. He said the NATO allies in the East would be satisfied with this plan. The NATO said the alliance would take all the necessary measures to ensure effective defence and protection of each NATO member state.

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