"The 'open door' is still open. Ukraine will become a member, that decision still stands providing that Ukraine meets the requirements. Ukraine has not applied for membership because it is a non-bloc country," Stoltenberg said during the 60th Plenary Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Because of its non-bloc policy, Ukraine’s membership has not been discussed in recent years, the NATO chief said, stressing, however, that membership may be sought by "countries which fulfill the criteria for becoming NATO allies, and that is also valid for Ukraine.”
Last week, German Foreign Minister Frank Walter-Steinmeier stated that Ukraine’s NATO membership would not be possible in the foreseeable future.
On Friday, five Ukrainian parties signed a draft coalition agreement signaling that NATO membership would be one of the top priorities of Ukraine's new government. However, the bloc's regulations do not allow countries involved in territorial disputes to become its members. Currently Kiev refuses to acknowledge Crimea’s reunification with Russia.
In August, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk introduced legislation to the country’s parliament to drop its “non-aligned” status, starting a campaign to join NATO. According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, US President Barack Obama declined to give Ukraine the special status of a non-NATO ally..............http://sputniknews.com/politics/20141124/1015080533.html
24/11/14
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Referendum results will decide NATO membership for Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko told reporters after talks with Lithuanian counterpart Dalia Grybauskaite...
ReplyDelete“A decision on joining...will be taken by an all-Ukrainian referendum,” he said, adding that membership requirements largely reflected criteria in Ukraine's Association Agreement with the European Union.
Grybauskaite said Ukraine had to become fully democratic to join the western military alliance...........http://en.itar-tass.com/world/761372
24/11/14