NATO criticised, Canada: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation must look north

Moscow (ANTARA) — NATO should focus its attention on the Arctic region amid rising global competition in the area, said Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand. ‘The focus of NATO should not only be to the east but also to the north. NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, must look north,’ Anand said at a security and defence conference in Ottawa on Wednesday (4 March). She said global competition is heating up in the Arctic and cited Russia’s presence as one of the regional threats. ‘Threats are evolving, from climate change to economic threats, as well as strategic and military threats, such as when Russian infrastructure moves further north towards the Arctic Circle,’ Anand said. On 12 February, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that United States Northern Command and United States European Command would be involved in a NATO Arctic mission titled ‘Arctic Sentry’. The day before, the mission was launched with the aim of integrating NATO operations and partners including Greenland, Iceland, Finland, as well as Arctic shipping routes. In recent years, Russia has highlighted growing activity and deployments of NATO forces unprecedented near its western borders. Moscow says Russia does not threaten anyone, but will not allow actions that could endanger its interests. NATO is a military alliance founded in 1949 and now comprising 32 member states. Source: Sputnik/RIA Novosti Translator: Yoanita Hastryka Djohan