By Prensa Latina
Bucharest : The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday rejected Georgia’s and Ukraine’s candidatures to enter the Western military alliance, but pledged to bring the issue to the table in the coming future.
In what is considered a neutral stance, NATO postponed the membership decision on the two former Soviet republics, foil Macedonia’s aspirations, but approved the formal membership of Albania and Croatia.
Experts agree the promise to put off their inclusion allows the organization to please both the US and Russia, which remain at odds over the issue.
NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer indicated the bloc welcomes the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Kiev and Tiflis, and pledges that they will become members in the future.
The Russian government reiterated on Wednesday their inclusion to NATO will represent a strategic mistake that will bring about very serious consequences for security in Europe.
Referring to Macedonia, De Hoop Scheffer explained NATO leaders conditioned their entry to the solution of the bilateral dispute with Greece over its name.
The 26 NATO leaders agreed to hold their next summit in April 2009, along the French-German border, on the occasion of the bloc’s 60th anniversary.