15 June 2000	NATO-sponsored conference in St. Petersburg Military force in international relations in the 21st century was debated during an international conference held in St. Petersburg on 15-16 June. Approximately one hundred delegates from academic and political circles, together with journalists and Russian and NATO officials, focused on the following themes: the traditional and non-traditional use of force, international law and the use of military force, civil-military relations, policy and strategy for the military and civilians in local conflicts, defence reform in Russia and defining Russia's needs for its Army. The conference was organised by the School of International Relations of the St. Petersburg State University, with the support of the Consulate General of the US in St. Petersburg and NATO.
16 June 2000	Illegal weapons discovered in Kosovo Open sources report heavy machine-guns, mortars, detonators, anti-tank missiles, boxes of ammunition and large quantities of TNT are among the weapons and ammunitions that have been discovered and seized by KFOR troops in Kosovo. On the second day of searching for illegal weapons and ammunition in the Drenica valley, four bunkers containing hundreds of weapons were discovered on 16 June near Klecka by KFOR troops from Multi-National Brigade South. Discoveries were also made in the zone of Lidavica and in several villages such as Obilic and Plementina. After a full investigation to establish an inventory and determine origins and ownership, all weapons and ammunition found will be prepared for destruction by KFOR explosive and weapons experts. These search operations, undertaken by KFOR troops on a regular basis, are part of a general initiative to increase security in the province for all ethnic groups.
19 June 2000	Meeting on space storms & space weather hazards A NATO 'Advanced Study Institute' (ASI) is taking place from 19-29 June, in Crete, Greece, with about 20 Russian space scientists participating alongside counterparts from NATO and Partner countries. They are meeting to exchange information and experiences on advances in the physics of magnetic space storms. Space weather has impacts on, for example, telecommunications and electric power systems on Earth. This ASI will allow scientists to learn of recent spacecraft measurements that have provided new insight into the dynamics and effects of space storms. A web site devoted to the meeting provides further information (http://sat2.space.noa.gr/~daglis/asi2000.html). Co-directors of the meeting are Dr. I.A. Daglis, National Observatory of Athens, Greece, and Dr. Y. Galperin, of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute, Moscow, Russia. Advanced Study Institutes have the specific role of contributing to the training, and the motivation, of young scientists in Partner countries, and this meeting is one of 50 taking place each year as part of the NATO Science Programme.
19 June 2000	NATO-EU relations At their two-day summit in Feira, Portugal, from 19 to 20 June, members of the European Union (EU) discussed, inter alia, the next steps in building their common European security and defence policy (CESDP) and in developing a military and civilian crisis management capability. Improving European military capabilities was seen as central to the CESDP's credibility and effectiveness. The EU leaders identified mechanisms to allow non-EU European Allies to contribute to EU military crisis management as well as principles for consultation with NATO on military issues and modalities for developing EU-NATO relations in four areas covering security issues; capability goals; the modalities for EU access to NATO assets; and the definition of permanent consultation arrangements.
19 June 2000	Military exercise in Ukraine Ten NATO and six Partner countries (Russia also attended as an observer) are participating in a military exercise hosted in Ukraine, with forces from NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) and NATO's Standing Mine Counter-Measures Force Mediterranean (MCMFORMED). Exercise Cooperative Partner 2000 is taking place from 19 June to 1 July in the Black Sea and in the area of Odessa. It aims to contribute in training multinational forces to work together for peace support operations.
20 June 2000	Seminar on energy security in Azerbaijan Approximately 70 representatives from eight NATO and nine Partner countries met near Baku in Azerbaijan on 20-21 June to discuss the different aspects of energy security in the Caucasus region. Participants discussed the threat from international terrorism and organised crime and ways of combating these threats. In particular, the problem of safeguarding pipelines stretching across hundreds of kilometres was raised. The economics of energy was also on the agenda, with participants looking at the possible markets for Caspian Sea oil and gas and economic implications for the region. Scientists briefed participants on environmental issues in the Caspian Sea region and, finally, ways of preparing for disasters involving oil and gas pipelines and oil platforms were also discussed. The seminar was proposed by Azerbaijan in the framework of the EAPC ad hoc working group on prospects for regional cooperation in the Caucasus and was prepared in close cooperation with NATO.