More than four decades after quitting NATO's military wing, France may be considering rejoining. Critics say the move is largely symbolic, since Paris is already an active member in the transatlantic alliance.

The erstwhile Soviet Union-led Warsaw Pact forces planned massive nuclear strikes in Western Europe in a bid to sideline NATO armaments as per recently recovered documents.

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani urged NATO to admit Australia, India, Israel, Japan and Singapore as part of proposals to combat Islamic extremism.

An adviser to the Serbian prime minister warned Thursday that Kosovo could become "a unique NATO state" if its status is decided on the basis of the Ahtisaari plan.

NATO officials say they plan to use smaller bombs in Afghanistan to limit the rise in civilian casualties. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the number of civilians killed during fighting between NATO with the Taleban has damaged the reputation of the alliance.

NATO says three of its troops and an Afghan soldier are dead after two separate clashes with Taleban insurgents in Afghanistan. Two NATO soldiers along with an Afghan soldier were killed Friday while fighting insurgents in the eastern province of Nuristan. Thirteen other NATO troops were wounded, as well as an Afghan soldier and a civilian.

Afghan authorities say NATO and Afghan troops have battled Taleban insurgents in southern Helmand province, killing scores of people.

Russia is offering to engage NATO in a strategic partnership to counter possible missile threats, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Thursday. As an alternative to U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland, Russia has proposed the joint use of a radar station that Russia leases from Azerbaijan.

Russia's desire to withdraw from the CFE Treaty has been made clear enough, but what next? Addressing a news conference in Brussels on July 18, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said Russia's intentions regarding the treaty, long considered a cornerstone of stability in Europe, remain a "mystery" to the alliance.

Musharraf, the chief of Pakistan Army and head of the State is in making of Legend figure a part of history who is to be backed by twenty six nation conglomerate with Super Power US backing and with Implicit support of China, NATO spokesperson says.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian says his country has no intention of joining NATO. In remarks published on July 15 by the German magazine "Der Spiegel," Kocharian said NATO membership would harm Armenia's relations with neighboring countries and would do little to improve its national security.

NATO regrets Moscow's decision to suspend its commitments under the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, the alliance's spokesperson said Saturday.