RFE/RL reports that it’s a question of when and not if Georgia will join NATO.
“Needless to say that NATO’s door is open,” de Hoop Scheffer said. “Needless to say that NATO will support Georgia wherever it needs assistance in implementing those difficult, difficult reforms. We realize there is a long, long way to go, but NATO is ready to assist.”
Officials say there is widespread support within NATO for Georgia’s membership — and that, most importantly, the United States appears to support the idea. However, they say, it is far too early to speak of timing.
This was reiterated by de Hoop Scheffer, who said there are “not dates or timelines” as yet, adding that everything depends on the speed of reforms in Georgia.
If both Ukraine and Georgia end up receiving invitations to join, it might be worth adding another body of water to the name of the alliance.
Georgia’s record with reforms the past couple years has been rocky at best. The chance at NATO membership should, one would hope, keep most of the political spectrum committed to reform and put Saakashvili in a position where he has to put his money where his mouth is.
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Nathan Hamm – author of 2974 posts on Registan.net.
Nathan is the Founding Editor and Publisher of Registan.net, which he launched in 2003. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan 2000-2001 and received his MA in Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Since 2007, he has worked full-time as an analyst, consulting with private and government clients on Central Asian affairs, specializing in how socio-cultural and political factors shape risks and opportunities and how organizations can adjust their strategic and operational plans to account for these variables. Nathan is currently seeking research, analysis, and consulting opportunities. He can be contacted via Twitter or email.
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Actually, I believe the same issue came up when Greece and Turkey joined NATO. Neither of them have Atlantic coasts. Rather then become the North Atlantic and Mediteranean Treaty Organization it just remained NATO.
I too doubt they’d make a change, but they’d have almost the entire coastline of the Black Sea with Georgia and Ukraine joining!
Before long, NATO’ll be setting their sights on the Caspian.
What chance Iran to join by 2020?
We should start some kind of pool.
NATO will not extend to pools. Seas and oceans only.
Russia is responding with its usual “threats” *smirk*
Russia will stop military cooperation if Ukraine joins NATO: Ivanov
In other international news, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said that his country will stop all military cooperation with official Kyiv if Ukraine joins NATO.
Ivanov made the statement after as meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoli Hrytsenko. He said that joining military aliances is the right of every sovereign country, but if Ukraine joins NATO, Russia will stop purchasing military equipment and supplies from Ukraine. Ivanov also announced that beginning on March 1st 2006 Russia will stop sub-leasing certain properties in Crimea.
If Russia were to carry through its threat should imagine that the Ukrainian government would be quite pleased to be shot of the Russians in Crimea.
The locals who depend on Russian bases for employment might be a little unhappy, but I can’t see that swaying the government in Kiev too much.
However, I can’t really see Russia carrying through and throwing away one of its prime military assets in a fit of spite. More likely, they’d stick around and try to annoy the Americans.