n,” according to NATO’s official position paper for the summit.

Proposed measures to achieve those ends are a revised exercise schedule “adapted to the new security environment,” new infrastructure, prepositioning of equipment and supplies in Eastern European countries that are NATO members and an enhanced NATO response force of up to 4,000 combat soldiers.

But the alliance is walking a ledge. In 1997, NATO and Russia signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act. During the Paris signing ceremony, Russian president Boris Yeltsin said the act stated “an obligation not to deploy NATO combat forces on a permanent basis near Russia.”

The Kremlin recently made it clear that expectation still holds and that forward deployment of NATO equipment or troops would be a provocation. To say nothing of letting Ukraine into the alliance.

Seven encephalitis cases in Meghalaya

RINING LYNGDOH

Shillong, Aug. 5: The Meghalaya government has reviewed the situation following the outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in the state with seven confirmed cases and 23 people suspected with acute encephalitis syndrome.

Chief secretary P.B.O. Warjri held a meeting with officials of the health department and discussed the issue. Residents are worried that there is no specific treatment to cure the disease, except vaccination.

Meghalaya directorate of health services, joint director and in-charge Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP), Dr R.O. Budnah told reporters today that so far, nobody has died of Japanese encephalitis in the state.

Though a few people tested positive last week, the health authorities, however, revealed the figures of confirmed cases and suspected cases to the media only today.

But the state programme officer of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Dr B. Mawlong refused to share any information related to the case.

One patient is being treated at Shillong civil hospital and the six others who have tested positive were treated at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medi