WASHINGTON, June 20 (Hina) - NATO will decide which countries to admit as full members at a summit in Prague this November as late as possible, so candidates will be given the opportunity to better prepare for expecting commitments,
US Deputy State Secretary for Europe, Robert Bradtke, said.
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Hina) - NATO will decide which countries to
admit as full members at a summit in Prague this November as late as
possible, so candidates will be given the opportunity to better
prepare for expecting commitments, US Deputy State Secretary for
Europe, Robert Bradtke, said. #L#
All candidates must be considered seriously, so the American
government is avoiding speaking about which countries it feels are
leading candidates, he said.
Together with the commander of US troops in Europe, General Josip
Ralston, and deputy assistant defence secretary for Europe, Ian
Brzezinski, Bradtke spoke at a session of the congressional
committee for international relations.
Ralston said that the success of the first round of NATO's expansion
to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland confirmed the
justification of the intent for other members of the free and
unified Europe to join NATO.
Although he agrees with the need for NATO's expansion, Brzezinski
sees the first task of the Prague summit as being reaching an
agreement on overcoming the technology rift between the USA and
other members.
In an interview for Radio Voice of America, Bradtke spoke about
Croatia's chances to enter NATO. he said that the summit in Prague
would confirm that NATO's gates remain open.
Thus, Croatia's chances for membership after Prague are good -- if
it works well on its fulfilment of obligations from the Membership
Action Plan. Croatia's activities will be taken into consideration
very seriously, Bradtke said. He added that Croatia would certainly
be mentioned in the final statement of the summit.
The United States are openly saying that of the nine candidate
members, Slovakia would not be supported for membership if Vladimir
Meciar is elected to power at the upcoming election.
The US Ambassador with NATO, Nicholas Burns, said that Meciar's
party was anti-democratic.
Burns said the organisation was familiar with Meciar because he had
once been in power. They see his party as anti-democratic.
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