BRUSSELS, Oct 29 (KUNA) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said on Wednesday that US plans to reduce part of its forces deployed on the alliance's eastern flank constitute a "routine adjustment" of force posture, noting that the alliance had been informed of the decision in advance and that coordination between both sides continues to ensure defense readiness.
A NATO official told reporters at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels that "US authorities informed NATO of this adjustment in advance", explaining that "adjustments to the US force posture are not unusual", and stressing at the same time that "even with this adjustment, the US military presence in Europe remains larger than it has been for many years". The official added that "NATO and US authorities are in close contact about our overall posture to ensure that the alliance retains a strong capacity to deter and defend", emphasizing that Washington's commitment to the security of Europe and its allies "remains clear and steadfast". He noted that the move followed an announcement by Romania's defense ministry that allies had been notified in advance of US plans to redeploy some of its forces in Eastern Europe as part of a periodic review of force deployments within the alliance. (end) arn.aa