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           Kerry Meets Russian Counterpart Amid NATO, Turkey Tensions

   by Henry Ridgwell

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met his Russian counterpart in
   Belgrade Thursday amid tensions over NATO's invitation to Montenegro to
   join the alliance. The ongoing battle against Islamic State dominated
   the annual summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
   Europe.

   Speaking at the OSCE summit in Belgrade, Secretary of State John Kerry
   said the air campaign against Islamic State, also known as Daesh, was
   only one part of the strategy - and there was more work to be done.

   "I think we know it, that without the ability to find some ground
   forces that are prepared to take on Daesh, this will not be won
   completely from the air," said Kerry.

   The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey met for the first time since
   the downing of a Russian jet by Turkish forces. Moscow has warned that
   Ankara will `regret' the incident.

   Anger over Montenegro invitation
   Russia also voiced its anger at NATO's invitation for Montenegro --
   once part of the former Yugoslavia -- to join the alliance. NATO
   Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg dismissed Russia's concerns
   Wednesday.

   "The decision to invite Montenegro is not directed against anyone; it
   is for our shared security," he said.

   Tensions over Russia's intervention in Ukraine have likely expedited
   NATO's invitation to Montenegro, saidTim Judah, Balkans correspondent
   for The Economist.

   "It still has problems of corruption and organized crime, the judiciary
   etcetera, but I think geopolitics has played a role here," said Judah.
   "If it hadn't have been for [Russia's intervention in] Ukraine maybe
   Montenegro wouldn't have made the grade."

   ''Kosovo stop
   Meanwhile, on his first trip to Kosovo Wednesday as secretary of state,
   Kerry sought to calm the worsening political storm.

   In recent weeks, opposition lawmakers have repeatedly set off tear gas
   inside Kosovo's parliament -- in protest at the government signing a
   European Union-brokered deal to improve ties with Serbia and offer more
   rights to the Serb local minority.

   Kerry said the deal would be good for Kosovo.

   "Make no mistake," he warned. "We would not support any agreement that
   would threaten the sovereignty, or the security, or the independence of
   Kosovo."

   Kerry also conveyed U.S. concern over Islamic radicalization. Dozens of
   Kosovars are believed to have traveled to Syria to fight for Islamic
   State.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-meets-russian-counterpart-nato-
   turkey-tensions/3086316.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-meets-russian-counterpart-nato-turkey-tensions/3086316.html