Strasbourg, France  - United St

Strasbourg, France  - Twelve people were arrested after violent anti-NATO protests in the French city of Strasbourg on Thursday, one day before leaders from the
28-member alliance were due to meet there, a police spokesman said.

Demonstrators hurled rocks, broke windows and set trash bins on fire before police fired tear gas canisters and order was restored.

The demonstration turned violent after police prevented some 600 protesters from marching into downtown Strasbourg.

Strasbourg, France - Success in Afghanistan and improved relations with Russia are vital to the future of NATO, the alliance's secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said Thursday in the French city of Strasbourg.

"We need to succeed in Afghanistan," since "success in Afghanistan will have an impact on how NATO is perceived in the rest of the world," de Hoop Scheffer told a group of students from around the world on the eve of a two-day NATO summit in France and Germany.

Strasbourg, France  - Several hundred anti-NATO protesters clashed with police in the French city of Strasbourg on Thursday, one day before leaders from the 28-member alliance were due to meet in France and Germany, France Info radio reported.

The demonstrators broke windows and set trash bins on fire before police were able to restore order.

Both Germany and France have deployed security forces to keep the order for the two-day summit marking the 60th anniversary of NATO's founding.

Brussels  - Just four days before NATO leaders were due to gather for a summit, there was still no consensus on who should be the alliance's next chief, diplomats in Brussels said Monday.

"There is a lot of talk going on now about choosing a successor" to the current secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, but there "is no consensus yet," senior US officials said.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he backs the expansion of NATO to European countries aspiring to join the alliance but pledged to work towards reinvigorating US-Russian relations.

Obama, meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer just a week before the alliance summit, also said he will present his administration's strategic review of the situation in Afghanistan to other members.