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Merkel defends stronger NATO presence in E Europe

Xinhua, July 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday defended the planned NATO presence in eastern Europe in her government statement on the forthcoming NATO summit in Warsaw.

It is not enough to be able to relocate troops in crisis situations quickly, she said at Bundestag,the lower house of the German parliament, adding NATO should have rather stronger presence in the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia as well as Poland.

Merkel stressed the importance of the rapid reaction force of NATO for the Baltic States.

Moreover, Merkel appealed for a continuation of talks between NATO and Russia.

"We agree that enduring security in Europe can only be reached with Russia, not against Russia," said Merkel.

NATO will decide at their summit in Warsaw on Friday and Saturday the deployment of one battalion with about 1,000 soldiers each into the three Baltic states and Poland. German Bundeswehr, the national defense force, will lead the battalion in Lithuania with several hundred soldiers. Endit