STRASBOURG, France, April 4 (Reuters) - French riot police fired teargas to force back hundreds of anti-NATO protesters who tried to prevent world leaders celebrating the military alliance's 60th anniversary at a summit today.
Leaders of NATO's 28 member states including U.S. President Barack Obama hoped to forge a new strategic vision for the alliance, which was created soon after World War Two to defend Europe's borders and has expanded despite the demise of its first foe, the Soviet Union.
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| An anti-NATO demonstration in Strasbourg yesterday. AFP |
But a dispute between Turkey and Europe over the appointment over a new leader threatened to shatter any semblance of unity after the leaders failed to reach a deal on Friday.
Turkey blocked Europe's candidate, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who had emerged as front-runner to replace Dutchman Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as secretary-general when he steps down at the end on July.
Turkey has criticised Rasmussen's handling of a row in 2006 over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that offended Muslims.
NATO officials put a brave face on the deadlock and said talks would continue today, the second and last day of the summit that is co-hosted by France and Germany in Strasbourg and nearby Baden-Baden. “We don't have consensus yet,” NATO spokesman James Appathurai told a news conference late on Friday. “We will get there. This alliance always gets there.” Anti-summit protesters, campaigning to have NATO disbanded following the end of the Cold War, vowed to disrupt today’s meeting after two days of sometimes violent clashes.
Clashes began several hundred metres (yards) from the summit early today after protesters defied a security cordon around Strasbourg in eastern France and hurled smoke bombs and fireworks. |
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