Brussels, Sep 30 (IANS) NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has denied recent media reports suggesting the 28-member Alliance offered India cooperation and sharing of technology in the field of missile defence, EuAsiaNews reported.
‘I have to say it goes far beyond what is NATO and NATO territorial responsibility,’ Rasmussen said in reply to a question about the issue during his speech at the Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre.
He explained that it will be a NATO-based missile system which will cover the territory of NATO allies. ‘And that’s it, no more,’ he added.
Stating that NATO had a dialogue with India and China, Rasmuussen pointed out that invitees from the two countries participated in a recent meeting on counter-piracy organised by NATO.
He said piracy and cyber security were areas where NATO could cooperate with India and China.
Speaking about NATO-Pakistan ties, Rasmussen said: ‘We need a strong and positive partnership with Pakistan for security in Afghanistan and the region.’
‘But even in that very spirit we encourage the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government to do its utmost to fight extremism and terrorism in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan,’ he said.
‘It is really a security problem for our troops in Afghanistan. Terrorists have safe havens and that’s a fact in Pakistan. And we have to deal with that. It is in our mutual interest to deal with that,’ he stressed.
