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Two New Members – and the Door Remains Open
The 26 NATO heads of state and government took decisions today in the Romanian capital of Bucharest on enlarging the Alliance. Croatia and Albania have been invited to enter into concrete accession talks. But admission of the former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia was tabled. Greece did not agree because the issue of that republic’s name could not yet be resolved. As soon as this aspect has been clarified, Macedonia will also be able to join the Alliance, without the need for another NATO summit. Ukraine and Georgia have to wait Ukraine and Georgia could likewise become members of the Alliance in the long run. However, at this time, they have not yet entered the preliminary stage of being included in the special action plan. In December 2008, the foreign ministers will re-evaluate the development of the two countries. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel had also spoken out against the speedy accession of Georgia and Ukraine. It was not time yet, the chancellor said. A balanced process was needed in order for the criteria to be met. In this connection, Merkel underlined that no other country outside of NATO had a right to say who would become a member of NATO. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stressed that the door to the Alliance would always remain open to democracies. “That has not changed,” he said. NATO would continue to strive for enlargement. The NATO secretary-general went on to say that the intensified dialogue with Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as with Montenegro on deepening cooperation also served that goal. Germany and France to organize NATO anniversary summit
Together with French President Nikolas Sarkozy, Merkel announced another special event with a “highly symbolic character”: The summit marking the 60th anniversary of the Alliance will take place in Strasbourg and Kehl in spring 2009. For the first time in the history of the Alliance, two member states will jointly organize a summit. In this way, 60 years after the signing of the Washington Treaty on April 4, 1949, Sarkozy and Merkel will underscore the importance Franco-German friendship, European reconciliation, and the North Atlantic Alliance have for peace in Europe. Sarkozy emphasized that France wanted to return to the Alliance’s midst. The 2009 summit planned together with Germany was be a sign of the joint commitment of both countries, that they spoke “with one voice,” Sarkozy said. Two topics have already been set for the 2009 summit. The Alliance would like to consult on a new strategic concept and options for missile defense. Afghanistan
Canada had announced the withdrawal of its troops from that region if no other Alliance partner increased its deployment there. France has so far contributed approx. 1,400 soldiers to the roughly 47,000 ISAF troops. In the run-up to the summit, Germany had already announced it will take over the Quick Reaction Force stationed in the north of Afghanistan in mid-2008 and furthermore to significantly increase its contribution to building up the Afghan police force. April 3, 2008
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