The FINANCIAL — Washington ― NATO foreign ministers have agreed that the Alliance’s door remains open to new members, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said June 25 at the start of the second day of ministerial talks, according to the Embassy of The United States to Georgia.
The secretary-general said that September’s Wales Summit “will mark the success” of NATO’s Open Door Policy and maintain its momentum. “Let me be clear: NATO’s door remains open and no third country has a veto over NATO enlargement,” he said.
“We had a chance to take stock of the strong measures that have been taken in order to provide reassurance to our eastern allies on the land, on sea and air, and we’ve taken measures that demonstrate that our Article 5 commitment is absolutely rock solid,” said John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State. “We also affirmed NATO’s open door policy as well as the vital importance of having strong, capable partners.”
Over dinner on June 24, the ministers reviewed the progress made by the four aspirant countries; Georgia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Each country will continue to be judged on its merits, the secretary-general said: “Each one has work to do, in different areas, and we will give aspirants the support they need to get them through the door.”
Rasmussen said there was an agreement in principle by Allies to develop a substantive package for Georgia that will help it come closer to NATO. Elements of the package will be worked out in the coming weeks, according to the Embassy of The United States to Georgia.
On Montenegro, the Alliance will open intensified and focused talks and assess at the latest by the end of 2015 whether to invite Montenegro to join the Alliance.
On June 25, the ministers will focus on preparations for the Wales Summit, according to a June 25 NATO press release. At that summit, they will assess measures the Alliance has taken to strengthen collective defense in view of the changed security situation in Europe due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and also will review relations with Russia.
UKRAINE DISCUSSIONS
Kerry said the foreign ministers “spent a significant amount of time in our discussions focused on Ukraine and our allies’ sustained support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and the right of its people to determine their own future.” He congratulated Ukrainians for their recently completed free and fair elections.
The foreign ministers are expected to agree on a package of long-term support measures for Ukraine, including the creation of new trust funds, according to the Embassy of The United States to Georgia.
“The United States commends the Ukrainian government for reaching out to separatists and to the Russian government,” Kerry said. “And now we believe it is critical for President Putin to prove by his actions, not just his words, that he is indeed fully committed to peace.”
The foreign ministers also agreed the group will look to strengthen cooperation with partners around the world and strengthen the Alliance’s ability to assist partners that need help in defense and security-sector reforms, according to the Embassy of The United States to Georgia.
On Afghanistan, the ministers agreed to take an important next step in planning NATO’s new mission to train, advise and assist Afghan forces and discuss the Alliance’s future relationship with Afghanistan.
“One of the first tests of NATO’s ability to forge stronger, more capable partners will be resolute support — NATO’s post-2014 train, advise and assist mission with the people of Afghanistan,” Kerry confirmed, saying NATO remains committed to “combating terrorism and preserving the gains made by the people of Afghanistan.”
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