U.S. Diplomat Comments on Georgia NATO Bid, Conflicts

The United States wants to help Georgia on its way to NATO integration, but ?it is up to Georgia to do what it needs to do to be ready for NATO,? Dan Fried, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs said on November 29.

?And among those things are not just the strengthening of its democratic institutions and its economy, but peaceful settlements of the territorial disputes inside Georgia,? he said.

The U.S. diplomat said that it is wrong to say that U.S. President George Bush ?is trying to jam Georgia into the Alliance.?

?Rather, our position is that Georgia should have an opportunity to do the work it needs to do? I would say that the President has pushed for Georgia to be given the chance to do what it needs to do.? he said in a response to a question to comment on President Bush?s ?push to bring Georgia into NATO.?

Fried also said that NATO reiterated its open door policy at the recent Riga summit, but also noted that ?the Alliance clearly recognizes that Georgia has a lot of work to do.?

He stressed that the NATO Riga summit declaration voiced support for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the South Caucasus and Moldova and affirmed support for the territorial integrity of these countries.

?That’s the first time NATO has said this; this is an important message to those countries? But it doesn’t mean that they have a blank check, and it also means that there are only peaceful solutions to these frozen conflicts that we will contemplate… Support for territorial integrity doesn’t mean, you know, go re-arm and start some war. It means look for political solutions, reach out to the people and the authorities in the territory of the frozen conflicts, and we’ll help with the diplomacy. But it also means that NATO is not indifferent to this. That’s an important message,? Fried said.

He also noted that NATO enlargement is not a threat to Russia.

?We’re all aware of Russia’s concerns. But Russia does not have a veto and has never had a veto over NATO membership? The Russians disagree, but I think in the end and on some level even they understand that it is better to have a Europe whole, free and at peace than a Europe that is divided, mistrustful and prone to extremist ideologies,? the U.S. diplomat said.

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