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A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 November 2019
U.S. to pay less into NATO budget as Macron urges deep talks

"NATO is an organization of sions around the world. dialogue with Russia that is
collective defense. Against But Stoltenberg said Thurs- "lucid, robust and demand-
what, against who is it de- day that a new cost- ing" in order to enhance
fending itself? Who is our sharing formula has been confidence and security
common enemy? What agreed and that "the U.S. on the continent. NATO's
are our common topics? will pay less, Germany will relations with Russia have
This question deserves clari- pay more." arguable been at their
fications." Washington was previously frostiest since the end of the
Macron said he was glad the biggest contributor, Cold War as a result Russia's
his recent comments have paying about 22%. Stolten- annexation of Ukraine's
acted as a "wake-up call" berg said the U.S. and Ger- Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
and that it was "irresponsi- many will now both pay Macron added that the
ble" to just talk about finan- "roughly 16%." alliance needs to focus
cial and technical matters. The move does not con- on the common enemy,
"A real alliance is action, cern the national defense which he said is neither Rus-
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left is welcomed by
French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Par- decisions, not words. So, I budgets that Trump rou- sia nor China, but extremist
is, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019. want us to have a real dia- tinely complains about groups.
Associated Press logue among allies," he in- but could help to mollify Despite the in-fighting, Stol-
sisted. him. It came a day after tenberg played down the
By SYLVIE CORBET said Washington will pay Macron complained that NATO announced a $1 bil- divisions and insisted that
Associated Press less into the alliance's bud- NATO's two previous sum- lion contract to refurbish its NATO was as relevant as it
PARIS (AP) — NATO lead- get from next year, with mits have focused almost aging fleet of surveillance has ever been.
ers must stop bickering Germany filling the spend- exclusively on defense planes made by U.S. air- "In uncertain times we need
over defense spending ing gap. spending and "how to alle- craft manufacturer Boeing. strong multinational institu-
and have a deep discus- Ahead of a summit of NATO viate the financial cost for Macron said France won't tions like NATO," he said.
sion about the future of the leaders in London next the United States." increase its contributions "The paradox is that while
military alliance and how week, Macron held discus- At the Dec. 3-4 summit in for NATO's in-house bud- questions are being asked
ties with Russia can be im- sions with NATO Secretary- London, Trump is expect- get and referred to the 13 about the strength of the
proved at a summit, French General Jens Stoltenberg in ed to repeat his demand French soldiers killed in a trans-Atlantic bond, North
President Emmanuel Ma- Paris. that European nations and helicopter collision as they America and Europe are
cron said Thursday. At a joint press conference, Canada increase their de- were fighting Islamic State doing more together than
Macron's call for intensive Macron posed a series of fense spending. The U.S. group-linked extremists in they have done for de-
talks on how to shore up se- questions about NATO, spends more on defense Mali. cades."
curity in Europe, cope with an organization that he than all other 28 allies com- "If anyone wants to see Macron also lamented the
volatile member Turkey termed as "brain dead" just bined. what they call cost sharing, collapse of the Intermedi-
and restore U.S. leadership a few weeks ago, a charge In an announcement Thurs- they can dome to the cer- ate-Range Nuclear Forces
came as NATO Secretary- that was criticized by oth- day, Stoltenberg said the emony that France is orga- Treaty, which the U.S. aban-
General Jens Stoltenberg ers within the alliance. allies have agreed to re- nizing on Monday," he said. doned after insisting that
formulate NATO's relatively "They will see the price." Russia was violating the
small in-house budget and Macron said NATO really pact. The INF was a Cold
that Washington would needs to focus on what it's War-era bilateral agree-
now pay less. about, to resolve a series of ment between Washington
NATO allies agreed last questions, such as how to and Moscow.
year to a 2019 civil budget maintain peace in Europe, "To say that a treaty is over
for running things like the or- relations with Russia, the without having anything
ganization's headquarters role of Turkey in NATO and else in place," he said. "Let's
of $250.5 million. A further who the alliance's enemies be serious. We're talking
$1.4 billion was earmarked might be. about Europe's security."q
for spending on military mis- He called for a return to

Ban Black Friday? French activists,

lawmakers want to try

PARIS (AP) — Dozens of sur-Orge on Thursday. They to ban Black Friday, which
French activists blocked an held signs in front of the has morphed into a global
Amazon warehouse south gates reading "Amazon: For phenomenon even though
of Paris in a Black Friday- the climate, for jobs, stop it stems from a specifically
inspired protest, amid in- expansion, stop over-pro- U.S. holiday: Thanksgiving
creased opposition to the duction!" The activists were Thursday. A French legisla-
post-Thanksgiving sales later dislodged by police. tive committee passed an
phenomenon that has More demonstrations are amendment Monday that
seen a group of French expected as Black Friday proposes prohibiting Black
lawmakers push to ban it looms into view. French cli- Friday since it causes "re-
altogether.Protesters from mate groups are planning source waste" and "over-
climate group Amis de la "Block Friday" demonstra- consumption."
terre (Friends of the Earth) tions Friday. Their objec- The amendment, which
spread hay and old refrig- tions are garnering some was put forward by France's
erators and microwaves support within France's former environment minis-
on the driveway leading to National Assembly. Some ter, Delphine Batho, will be
the warehouse in Bretigny- French lawmakers want debated next month.q