Georgia, Ukraine to join NATO
https://www.ipn.md/en/georgia-ukraine-to-join-nato-7965_969125.html
Albania and Croatia have been invited to join NATO. The talks with Macedonia, the third country expecting to be invited into the alliance following the Bucharest Summit, will resume after it solves its name problem. The announcements were made on Thursday, April 3, at a news conference by NATO’s secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent accredited at the NATO summit reports from Bucharest.
The news conference started an hour and a half later. The secretary general has read out a statement of the NATO heads of states and governments. “We acknowledge the commitment displayed by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for the European values and the Alliance’s operations. We congratulate it for the efforts shown, but it should first solve its name problem”, de Hoop Scheffer said.
Asked by journalists which were the countries opposing Macedonia’s adhesion, the NATO secretary general has said he doesn’t comment on the allies’ individual decisions, specifying the postponement has no established term. “We encourage the soonest solution of the issue. I acknowledge, we hoped to have three invitees to adhesion at this summit, but there is this name-problem”, the official said.
Speaking on the allies’ decision as to Georgia and Ukraine, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has said NATO salutes the joining aspirations of the two countries. “Georgia and Ukraine will become NATO members”, the secretary says, mentioning that the Entry Action Plan is the next stage in the relation with those countries. Immediate talks are to be launched at the level of foreign ministers to eliminate problems that could hinder the implementation of the plan.
The official points out the dialog with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro is enhancing.
Speaking on the anti-missile defense, de Hoop Scheffer says the allies have decided to find common ground. A relevant plan will be considered at the 2009 summit. They have agreed on protecting personal data.
The Macedonian delegation has announced in the morning they are leaving the reunion because of Greece’s opposition, which conditions the adhesion to the alliance with changing its name.
Also Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko arrived in Bucharest for the NATO summit, and for the reunion of the Ukraine-NATO Commission. Crossing the media center he has said Ukraine will become a NATO member.
