indeed there have been many times when skeptics have predicted the end of this alliance.time, nato has risen to the occasion and adapted to meet the challenges of that time. now, as we face a new century with different challenges, from the last, we have come together here in lisbon, to take action in four areas that are critical to the future of the alliance. first, we aligned our approach on the way forward in afghanistan. particularly, on a transition to full afghan lead that will begin in early 2011. and will conclude in 2014. it is important for the american people to remember that afghanistan is not just an american battle. we are joined by a nato-led coalition made up of 48 nations with over 40,000 troops from allied and partner countries. we honor the service and sacrifice of every single one. with the additional resources that we've put in place, we are now achieving our objective of breaking the taliban's momentum and doing the hard work of training afghan security forces in assisting the afghan people. i want to thank our allies who committed additional trainers

alliance officials are calling on the u.s. and europe to maintain high levels of defense spending, even though millions of citizens are increasingly questioning military budgets at a time of deep austerity cuts, especially in pensions, education, health care. among the issues discussed, the ongoing possibility of random terrorist attacks, the war in afghanistan, and the new era of cooperation with russia. >> new enemies along with new threats and a new kind of conflict mean that nato needs to change. the alliance is looking to join forces that can deploy more quickly. nato members have been studying the lessons of afghanistan. they are aware that in the future, they will have to send troops on missions well outside the geographical area of alliance countries. instead of traditional weapons, new strategies are needed. >> we are talking about fewer dragons and more snakes. the dragon can be seen as the conventional, visible method of conducting war. the snake as a way of achieving the same goals by unconventional means. >> nato

going off talks to the head of the alliance and the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the federation council find out what they have to say about what lies ahead for nato and russia's role in its future that's in our interview program spotlight coming up in just a moment right here in our. hello again and welcome to three parts like the interview show on r.t. i'm probably not and today we're talking about the nato russia summit in lisbon the nato secretary general anders fogh rasmussen says this summit should be a breakthrough in the alliance to stocks with moscow on anti-missile defense their adoption of the much discussed agreement can now be a matter of hours but have all the disagreements to be settled on me we're asking one of the most influential man in russian parliament the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the federation council mikhail margelov. the nato secretary general says the lisbon summit will bring a new reformed organization he wants to reduce staff and change to teach you concept of the alliance to turn it into a more effective body the reform

deciding on an afghan strategy and closer ties with russia well these are the key issues at the alliance a summit in portugal which comes as it faces an identity crisis. party investigates the potentially catastrophic danger lurking under the concrete bunker covering the site of the chernobyl nuclear disaster the aging structure protection area is nearing the end of its life. and of russia's petty criminals and first time offenders may soon see jail time swapped for prions and community service it's part of the country's ongoing reforms to ease the strain on prisons. as the nato summit kicks off in lisbon we talked to us most and about russia's role in the alliances future that's in spotlight coming up next. for the full story we've gone to. the biggest issues get a human voice face to face with the news makers. hello again and welcome to thoughts like the interview show on r.t. i'm going out and today we're talking about the nato summit in lisbon the nato secretary general anders fogh rasmussen says this summit should be a breakthrough in the alliance this starts with moscow on on time

stories identity crisis nato is set to meet in lisbon for a summit to figure out where the cold war alliance going in the twenty first century the u.s. led walks now looking to russia for help as the war on terror in afghanistan drags on into its tenth year. bringing democracy to others u.s. style with u.s. money american slam their government for the billions of taxpayer dollars funding regime change abroad which they say is only backfiring on. and no prison time for petty crimes is what russian lawmakers are proposing as they prepare to revolutionize the country's penitentiary system russia's prisons are currently overflowing. we have more on those stories about thirty minutes time now as the nato summit kicks off in lisbon artie's aldred off talks to the head of the alliance to find out what lies ahead and russia's role and its future that's now into the program spotlight coming in just a few moments here in r.t. . hello again and welcome to spotlight the interview show on r.t. i'm probably not then today we're talking about the nato russia summit in lisbon the nato secretary general ande

i mean russia and the alliance. the alliance have any major decisions really been taken. alice i'm sure critics would be very quick to point out that no major decisions have been taken the alliance is still. a very weakened institution weakened by the very by its very nature twenty eight member states all pushing and pulling in different directions pursuing their own interests it is therefore difficult for the organization to develop a unified policy optimists have already said that the new strategic concept that nato has ratified here is an attempt to show the world that it is capable of producing a unified policy that it is capable of being a stable international organization perhaps similar to the united nations and not just a ghost of the past when it was necessary and existed primarily because of. a standoff so to speak with the soviet union during the cold war times nato is basically trying to bring itself into the twenty first century saying that it does have the right to exist it does have the will to exist and therefore will do everything possible to emerge as a

he wants to reduce staff and change thirty two concept of the alliance to turn it into a more effective body the reformed alliance will have to deal with challenges to global security like the threat of missile attack it's very likely the summit will approve the new and to missile defense shield a long time point of discord between nato and russia. welcome to the show thank you very much for coming in well first of all why is president medvedev who has been seeking some particular girl or is it just a sign of goodwill inside of moscow well first of all for us for the russians issues of national security are always issues of national consensus and present the beauty of who represents all the citizens of russia has to respond to what people want from him and people want from him more security for the russian federation. of that is why it's so natural to build bridges with nato which is of the strongest supranational org. his ation on the european continent in the end in the atlantic region as well as nato has its operations in central asia in some other parts of the world we have to talk

members would offer the same answer that is an alliance in crisis. yeah i totally agree it's in crisis both for that reason which is that as the previous people have said there are different policy priorities among the different member states that's certainly true but above all because nato as an instrument of american foreign and military policy is in crisis because america itself is in crisis we all know that the american economy like much of the western economy is going down the tubes we know that america has amassed debts it can never pay off the dollar is weak the t.-bone market is weak other aspects of the american post cold war system are coming apart at the seams turkey is drifting away from nato and so on it's almost to the list of problems which america faces in trying to shore up the unilateral vision which george bush tried to put in place george w. bush and so some extent president clinton before and the list of those problems is almost without end and yet nato continues as i say to focus on american foreign policy priority priorities pr

brush roads not just brands on board small screw to join a new missile defense shield while the alliance are breezing new post cold war strategy they should be to also discuss the board afghanistan with twenty four to use it as a point on day. also deadly legacy as they can create covering true nobleness nuclear corneas the end of its life scientists mourning that hidden dangers may lurk contains a new protection shield is being dealt to the final test for these two hundred years against a lot of radiation kept out. of the russia considers changing the world to give fines or communities status instead of present them by the crying's it's part of the country's own go including the north sea aiming to relieve one of the grabbing james by introducing punishment to fit the crime. so while the nato summit continues and there's the all good no talks to secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen about russia's role in the lines his future that's now into program spotlight in just a few. sure is that so much i can tell you the other three women were different so i mean we have to be end of the seco

it was an alliance born of fear fear of the red army. fear of communism spread westward it was supposed to do rejoice was to defend western europe against the soviet union. those threats whether real or perceived were enough to help america gather its european allies to form a new military bloc he was now part of the to the signing of the north atlantic treaty which television reports the united states of america marketed nato is the world's hope for a better future united states keenly aware of its strategic role as a leader in the pre world has a large itself with other nations dedicated to the preservation of peace under nato this so called preservation of peace legitimize the presence of u.s. troops and military bases from norway to turkey and massive military budgets and the position of the us as the leader of the western world. but the fall of the berlin wall changed all of that bringing with it the rise of this rhetoric it is a message of peace and goodwill and hope for a growing friendship and closeness between our two peoples th

well the alliance has been. has or has had its ups and. its history has been accompanied by all kinds of prognosis what i see today is an alliance which forcefully enters conception mr t.j. into the twenty first century it has analyzed the situation it has consulted profoundly publicly and transparently what needs to be done and it has reached agreement on that now and they so jim russia has a fine up to a joint anti missile defense what's out of iraq and what does it mean for european security. well there is no doubt that russia is an important player and an important part of european security we we hoped in. nineteen eighty nine one thousand ninety eight that we would in fact enter into a real partnership and security for the whole of europe. we made progress but we didn't make enough progress and now i think we have we have a chance to go much much further because nato has decided that given the international security situation. it is ready to cooperate with. countries and organizations who share the same security interests and as we se

moscow signals the bad times all right over in russia and they relations and agrees to help the alliance will miss all the bends and ounce of drug that shine afghanistan. russian businessmen prophetically denies charges of weapons smuggling and terrorism out of court in new york moscow calls for that trial and playing force into pressuring the legal process also to sway the soldiers accused of using a palestinian child as a human shield to seek a one sentence much to the ngo rights groups and the international community. and across the continent roma community are seen as a victim find european governments have been left without shelter or health care forcing them it's a calling to make ends meet it's. a very warm welcome to you this is aussie life from moscow with me on his head president medvedev says the hostile period between russia and nato is. he told to block out the ring in portugal this weekend that he's agreeing to boost cooperation on one of the most divisive issues missile defense the summit's mood was the son of the more co-operative than of late but there are still issues w

time to make friends nato hopes for better russian ties as the alliance seeks moscow's help on the fence presently we have it set to join the lisbon summit. the us government wants to dominate the world. american taxpayers shelling out billions of dollars to fund washington's foreign influence under the guise of democratization. and living with leo it's a hundred years since the death of a discredited with is it the tolstoy state from literature lines. this is r.t. live from moscow welcome to the program. seems to be sending a clear message once russia has an ally the block is meeting in this been right now and this courting moscow to sign up to a joint missile defense shield and its hopes that present the better of the tendence could signal an historic turn relations between the two sides we have to go live to cutting in there's been later in the program. russia's and they to representative meanwhile says the country wants a more joined up thinking in the alliance to ensure that security isn't threatened . you are now after we have lived through the conflict and south of setia under a s

in the modern world and deciding on an afghan strategy and a closer ties with the alliance wrestles with an identity crisis says delegates in lisbon. what lies beneath our tea investigates the potentially catastrophic danger lurking out of the concert top sarcophagus coverage know both sides of the world's worst nuclear accident. and a get out of jail card for russia's minor offenders clients and community service consumer place time behind bars to ease the strain on the president's mood. you're watching r t five pm here in moscow welcome to the program now to our top story defining nato is relevance today and in the future what to do in afghanistan and gauging russia now the key issues to be discussed at a crucial summit for the alliance in portugal the meeting comes at a hard time for the group of nations which is facing an identity crisis sixty years after being created to oppose the soviet union artie's a lorry mr has a story. it's the biggest and oldest military alliance in modern times but when you think about what its place is in the world today. the answer doesn't come easily and

for more than 60 years, nato has proven itself as the most successful alliance in history. it's defended the independence and freedom of its members, it has nurtured young democracies and welcomed them into europe that is whole and free. it has acted to end ethnic cleansing beyond our borders and today we stand united in afghanistan so that terrorists who threaten us all have no safe haven and so that the afghan people can forge a more hopeful future. at no time during these past six decades was our success guaranteed. indeed there have been many times when except particulars have predicted the end of this alliance, but each time nato has risen to the occasion and adapted to meet the challenges of that time. and now as we face a new century with very different challenges from the last, we have come together here in lisbon to take action in four areas that are critical to the future of the alliance. first, we aligned our approach on the way forward in afghanistan, particularly on a transition to full afghan lead that will begin in early 2011 and will conclude in 2014. it is

a strategic concept for nato that recognizes the capabilities and partners the alliance needs to meethe 21st century. i want to give special thanks to secretary-general rasmussen for his outstanding leadership in forgeing a mission that observes the enduring strength of the alliance while adapting it to meet the missions of the future. as i said yesterday, we have reaffirmed the central premise of nato. our article five commitment that an attack on one is an attack on all. to ensure this commitment has meaning, we agreed to take action in a third area, to modernize our conventional forces and develop the full range of military capabilities that we need to defend our nations. we'll invest in technologies so that allied forces can deploy and operate together more effectively. we'll deploy new defenses against threats such as cyber attacks, and we will reform alliance command structures to make them more flexible and more efficient. most important we agreed to develop a missile defense capability for nato territory, which is necessary to defend against the growing threat from ballistic m

go moscow tells nato it conditions for taking part in a missile defense plans for europe of the alliance set top to oppose soviet meissen analyses closer ties with russia as kito new post cold borders of direction. and the letter. i made my letter here and now they're running me. off the news crew has been arrested in the us while filming protests against a military training school for latin american special services dubbed an assassin's camp by opponents. and russian businessman victim but it's denies charges of violence trafficking and terrorism at a point in the two hours after his swift extradition from thailand on tuesday. to israeli soldiers accused of using a palestinian child as a human shield received eighty nine sentenced much to the anger of human rights groups and the international community. hello and welcome to the program this is all cs weekly review the timing story russia is open to talks about taking part in a european missile defense system but only as an equal partner president dmitry medvedev was speaking at a nato summit in this been hailed as historic for ending th

and russian president dmitri medvedev arrived at the summit of the former cold war military alliance to leaders welcoming him with open arms and a plea. cooperate with us let us do this together leaders on both sides seem to indicate they plan to do just that after nato russia talks they hailed as historic today marks a true fresh starts in nato russia relations the willing ear it spells out our desire to pursue strategic partnerships that in its means would have overcome the difficulties of the past missile defense plans under the bush white house which provoked the most serious rift between russia and nato since the cold war well now the alliance wants russia to join in its plans compute russia wants more than just speak words of the we have agreed with our nato partners that's what we'll pursue dialogue of the european a.b.m. our main guide here should be that our bridge dissipation ought to be equal and i will stress this it can only be as partners with no other form of participation for the sake of appearance is acceptable either we participate fully we exchange information take

alliance to be a more predictable part. you know after we have lived through the conflict in south ossetia on a sharp decline in relations it turns out we might have needed such a test on the one hand these events have shown that old nato policies were provoking such an adequate regimes like the socceroos really warm to bloody actions on the other hand nato did not get involved in this conflict because europeans did not support the most aggressive part of the bush administration for us nato was a big headache it used to be an enemy now an unpredictable partner the left hand of which doesn't know what the right hand is doing we are tired of this we want more stability and security on our western borders and in the long run maybe even certainty that there would be no trouble to toll i think the americans have finally heard us today for them restoring relations with russia is not just very important to foreign relations but also key toward obama success on the domestic front. well i'm back from the anti war campaign the coalit

the biggest and oldest military alliance in modern times but when you think about what it's places in the world today. the answer. the answer doesn't come easily and not just for one speechless american official decades after the cold war ended with no common enemy originally supposed to define i defend western europe against the soviet union nato allies have been at a loss for a new one and at a loss for a clear purpose of identity crisis for a while we can severely by the seemingly endless afghan war with nato members growing weary in countries such as canada and the netherlands pulling troops out of the power of the block is in question. in many other places in the world we're seeing the. lack of. ability to transform. the depths and perhaps the consequences of a growing group of now twenty eight nations driven together but still largely led by the interests of one states is trying to use nato. directly tries to use need. to fulfill american missions yet everyone feels the strain with goals not laid out since before the attacks on nine eleven which drove the alliance into war there

for more than 60 years nato has proven itself as the most successful alliance in history.the independence and freedom of its members, it has nurtured young democracies and welcomed them into europe that is whole and free. it has acted to end ethnic cleansing beyond our borders and today we stand united in afghanistan so that terrorists who threaten us all have no safe haven and so that the afghan people can forge a more hopeful future. at no time during these past six decades was our success guaranteed. indeed, there have been many times when skeptics have predicted the end of this alliance. but each time nato has risen to the occasion and adapted to meet the challenges of that time. now as we face a new century with very different challenges from the last, we have come together here in lisbon to take action in four areas that are critical to the future of the alliance. first, we aligned our approach on the way forward in afghanistan, particularly on a transition to full afghan lead that will begin in early 2011 and will conclude in 2014. it is important for the american p

alliance officials are calling on the u.s. and europe to maintain high levels of defense spending, even though millions of citizens are increasingly questioning military budgets at a time of deep austerity cuts, especially in pensions, education, health care. among the issues discussed, the ongoing possibility of random terrorist attacks, the war in afghanistan, and the new era of cooperation with russia. >> new enemies along with new threats and a new kind of conflict mean that nato needs to change. the alliance is looking to join forces that can deploy more quickly. nato members have been studying the lessons of afghanistan. they are aware that in the future, they will have to send troops on missions well outside the geographical area of alliance countries. instead of traditional weapons, new strategies are needed. >> we are talking about fewer dragons and more snakes. the dragon can be seen as the conventional, visible method of conducting war. the snake as a way of achieving the same goals by unconventional means. >> nato

same line the alliance house. does and. of course have long been saying that nato is an organization that doesn't really fulfill any purpose ever since the cold war ended a large number of members prevented it from having a unified policy and a unified vector of development and it is right now trying to change that with a new strategy for development that they've adopted here in lisbon of course critics are saying that so far it's just words and it remains to be seen whether the alliance will be actually able to move from words to actions but it is clear that nato is trying to rethink its concept rethink its very strategy and attempt to secure a place for itself in the twenty first century global arena with the help of russia which does seem very inclined to secure as a new. strategic partner right happening as out of our many thanks for out they live from lisbon let's get more on this summit now i'm joined in the studio behind me chris is long a political analyst a member of the council for foreign policy and defense but a

with russia as alliance members. but. this comes at a time when critics say the sixty one year old military base is an identity crisis it can they find themselves have more life and live. dangers lurking beneath. it so we investigate what potentially deadly poison could leak. and also a glimmer of hope for russia's minor offenders who could soon have the option of a fine community service instead of a stay in an overcrowded prison. the twenty four hour news from russia and from around the world this is in moscow defining nato relevance today and in the future what to do in afghanistan and engaging russia the key issues to be discussed at a crucial meeting for the alliance in portugal the meeting comes at a time for the group of nations which is facing an identity crisis sixty years after being created to oppose the soviet union well off to florida joins me now live from the portuguese capital it's been laurent tell us what can we expect from this meeting. expect leaders to really try to defend what the reason is for nato

identity crisis nato set to meet in lisbon for a summit to figure out where the cold war alliance is going in the twenty first century. bringing democracy to others u.s. style with us money american slam their government for the billions of taxpayer dollars funding regime change abroad which they say is only backfiring on them. and no prison time for petty crimes is what russian lawmakers are proposing as a pair to revolutionize the country's attention system. this is r t coming to live from moscow i'm marina josh welcome to the program now tackling its identity crisis by presenting a new strategic vision is the goal of the nato summit which is set to open in portugal created more than sixty years ago to counter the cold war threat of the soviet union the alliance is now in a search of a clear contemporary goal as artie's lauren lyster reports. it's the biggest and oldest military alliance in modern times but when you think about what it's places in the world today. the answer. the answer doesn't come easily and not just for one speechless american official decades after the cold war

equal footing and transparency and partnership and since this is the new concept of the alliance is also is seen as a partner and even a strategic partner in the accept such an approach looking a little bit closer to nato itself now some critics have said that the organization is suffering something of an identity crisis its existence of the breakup of the warsaw pact they say is really justified and with a sound now moving ever closer to russia particularly with this new proposed form a partnership what do you think the future of the organization really is well you know this book a lot of the old prizes of identity of the alliance especially during the ninety nine days but they wouldn't agree and i suppose that over the last twenty years they alliance has become a unique. military unit and having unique sport grows its management and especially since your strategic concept is stressing that nato will respect the principle of primary responsibility and security council so in this light the future is not dark. and i want to have no doctors actually from the mosque is a university of inter

identity crisis nato is said to me to lisbon for a summit to figure out where the cold war alliance is going on the twenty first century. bringing democracy to others u.s. style with u.s. money american slam their government for the billions of taxpayer dollars funding regime change abroad which they say is only backfiring on them. and no prison time for a petty crimes is what russian lawmakers are proposing as they prepare to revolutionize the country's intentionally system. and for the business desk washington has been accused of trying to steal a competitive edge by intentionally devaluating its currency but presidential aide i'll tell you about korea's believes russia has little to fear more of progress at . ten am and the russian capital you're watching r t with the arena joshua welcome to the program tackling its identity crisis by presenting a new strategic vision as a goal of the nato summit which is set to open in portugal creative more than sixty years ago to counter the cold war threat of the soviet union the alliance is now in a search of a clear concern. loren lister now r

tells russia it's not a threat and wants more sco to join a new missile defense shield while the alliance approves a new post cold war strategy the sixty one year old alliance has introduced a new strategic goals the first time since one thousand nine hundred ninety one or many say that nato is still facing an identity crisis i'll have more from lisbon. but deadly legacy is the concrete cap covering nuclear corn is the end of its life scientists warn about what hidden dangers may lurk on the nukes. and russia considers changing the law to give fines or community service instead of prison and put him on a crimes. with twenty four hour news from russia and from around the world this is r.t. in moscow nato has urged russia to sign up to a joint missile defense shield covering the entire alliance at a summit in portugal where the organizations agreed a new strategy for the next decade it's to chart a fresh identity to founding aim of countering the soviet union is redundant. mr is in lisbon. it introduces new strategic goals now these are the first time that we have seen new goals introduced

and russian president dmitri medvedev arrived at the summit of the former cold war military alliance to leaders welcoming him with open arms and a plea call her right with arse. let us do this together leaders on both sides seem to indicate they plan to do just that after nato russia talks they hailed as historic missile defense plans under the bush white house provoked the most serious rift between russia and nato since the cold war now the alliance wants russia to join in its plans but russia wants more than just sweet words with a good body that we have agreed with our nato partners that we will pursue donnegan the european a.b.m. i mean god his should be that our participation will be equal and i will stress this it can only be as ponton as no other form of participation for the sake of the parents is acceptable either we participate fully we exchange information take part in decision making we do not participate at all the u.s. reset of relations with russia has brought nato to woo moscow once the great enemy but now courted as a key potential ally together we've worked hard to

so to do activists for their complaints but behind the protests i don't want to see a military alliance which will kill more soldiers more civilians and lead to a more divided world are u.s. policies u.s. policies brought to light in portugal as much through a president. as through protest lauren lyster r.t. lisbon portugal. well joining me live to give us more details from our studio in new york is our chief financial correspondent lauren lyster and all lauren we hear a lot that the european population is war weary i guess that this was a good way to prove it how many people do you think were out there on the streets. there were thousands alone and they weren't just from portugal though a number were from the country where nato was having their summit many were international the organizers that i spoke to had come from germany there were people traveling from the u.k. from spain there were members of parliament from the u.k. that i interviewed as well as from the e.u. so there was a wide range of people that came specifically for this from internationally all over europe as well as fro