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.

Strasbourg  - Police and around 150 anti-NATO campaigners clashed overnight on the outskirts of the French city of Strasbourg after police initiated identification checks in the run-up to the upcoming NATO summit, protesters reported Wednesday.

Police were said to have used tear gas and other anti-riot devices against the group who had gathered to protest stricter controls of identification. The situation was returned to calm around 1100 pm (2100 GMT) Tuesday night.

The city prefecture could not confirm the incident.

Strasbourg - The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday rejected a suit brought against Germany by a woman suffering from the AIDS virus seeking compensation for alleged unfair treatment by her doctor.

The 41-year-old woman of Turkish ethnic origin, a resident of the German city Wiesbaden, had become infected by her partner, who subsequently died of AIDS.

She initially sued her doctor for damages in 199 for not having informed her of her partner's AIDS infection.

Strasbourg, France  - An application for recognition from the European Parliament of the euro-sceptic Libertas movement appeared stillborn Tuesday after one of its key backers said he had never joined the party.

Founded by Irish millionaire Declan Ganley, Libertas played a key role in successfully rallying opposition to the European Union's reforming Lisbon Treaty at a referendum held in Ireland last year.