Rice: NATO Membership Helps Solve Old Differences, Like Btw Romania, Hungary

“(…) one of the reasons for NATO Membership Action Plan and, ultimately, for NATO membership, is that it allows states to overcome longstanding difficulties, differences and conflicts under the umbrella of a collective security organization, defense organization of democracies,” Rice said in a press conference on the situation in Georgia.  

“I have noted before that had anyone said that you would be able to resolve, for instance, differences between Hungary and Romania, between Bulgaria and Turkey in peaceful ways -- no one would have believed it when the Soviet empire broke up. But in fact, under the umbrella of NATO, that has been taking place,” the U.S. official added.

Rice reiterated U.S. support for Georgia’ and Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic organization, saying Russia has to stop military operations in Caucasus at once.

“There are concerning reports from around Georgia that Russia has not, in fact, in accordance with the pledge that it took to the French presidency -- to President Sarkozy, that Russia has not ended its military operations. Those operations must stop and must stop now,” Rice said.

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