Putin Appoints Firebrand As Russia's NATO Envoy

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters / National Post

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has appointed a firebrand nationalist as Russia's permanent representative to NATO as the Kremlin takes a more assertive stance towards its Cold War foe.

Putin signed a decree appointing Dmitry Rogozin, the former head of a nationalist party in parliament, to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a Kremlin spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Rogozin, 44, has called for Russia to re-arm to counter the threat from the Western military alliance.

He said last month that if he got the job he would defend the interests of Serbia in Kosovo and raise the issue of a U.S. plan for a missile shield.

NATO is viewed with great suspicion in Russia, where officials say expansion eastwards shows the alliance forged during the Cold War is being used by the United States and European powers to counter Russian influence.


Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=06967dcc-e2e2-4558-a5de-b5ccea3092dd&k=37291

[bemildred]

1. Putin appoints Bolton?

Oh, no, it's some Russian guy.

[awoke_in_2003]

2. Can't say as I blame him

especially the way we have been throwing our weight around all over the world.