STEPS TOWARD BALTIC COMMON SECURITY.

The State Secretaries for Defense of the three Baltic states conferred yesterday in Lithuania. On the agenda were: NATO’s enlargement, Baltic military cooperation with NATO countries within and beyond Partnership for Peace, the development of the joint Baltic battalion (BaltBat), the formation of a joint air control system, naval cooperation, coordination of national defense and security doctrines, and cooperation plans for 1996. (9)

Baltic officials view defense cooperation not just as a worthy goal in itself but also as a stepping stone toward their admission to NATO. The common defense projects discussed yesterday are all being assisted by NATO countries.

Kuchma Turns A Deaf Ear On CIS Assembly.