GERMAN DEFENSE MINISTER: BONN BACKS BALTIC EFFORTS TO JOINEU.

During a swing through all three Baltic countries thisweek, German defense minister Volker Ruehe said that Bonn willsupport their integration into the European Union and its securityarrangements, BNS reported August 22. But Ruehe suggested thatthe inclusion of the Baltic states in NATO could only occur ascooperation between NATO and Russia expanded. Echoing his words,the German magazine Spiegel said that the Baltic stateswould be the last of the East European countries to get into theWestern defense alliance.

Russian MP Wants Russian Bases in Baltic Countries.