Bush, Sanader for faster EU integration

George Bush and Ivo Sanader believe that south-east Europe's integration in NATO and the EU should continue apace. Addressing citizens in Zagreb’s St. Mark's Square, the U.S. president and Croatian prime minister said that Macedonia had to be encouraged on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as Serbia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro. Bush, Sanader for faster EU integration “We hope also that a free and prosperous Serbia will soon find the place it deserves in the European family, and live in peace with its neighbors,” said Bush, speaking of the region’s Euro-Atlantic prospects, at the same time supporting Macedonia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro. Unlike the U.S. president, Sanader, speaking of the need to continue the integration of south-east European countries in European processes, mentioned Kosovo. “In Kosovo, people have the right to live in a new democratic order that will protect minority communities and involve them in public administration and political life,” said the Croatian prime minister. He said that Serbia too had the right to its own place in Europe and the world. “Serbia has paid the price for its failed policies of the past, and she not only has the right to, but rather, I’m sure, she will show that she’s ready for, a new future,” he stressed. Bush shakes hands with the crowd in Zagreb (Beta) Bush, Putin in Russian talks George W Bush is to go to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin for the last in a series of scheduled talks between the two leaders. The meeting, in Sochi, follows a summit in Romania where the Russian president warned against the bloc's eastward expansion. Bush is due to fly to Sochi on Russia's Black Sea coast later on Saturday to meet the Russian president. Putin leaves office next month, though he is expected to serve as prime minister under President-elect Dmitry Medvedev. Russia expressed its opposition to NATO plans to expand eastward at the summit. The former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine are seeking to become members of the security pact. And, while the two countries were not offered a Membership Action Plan earlier this week, NATO did leave open the option of taking in the two countries. The Russian and American leaders are expected to discuss U.S. plans to site a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Russia has strongly criticized the U.S. proposals, which would see interceptor missiles based in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic. NATO countries agreed to back U.S. plans to site a missile defence system in the two countries at the Bucharest summit.

Bush, Sanader for faster EU integration

“We hope also that a free and prosperous Serbia will soon find the place it deserves in the European family, and live in peace with its neighbors,” said Bush, speaking of the region’s Euro-Atlantic prospects, at the same time supporting Macedonia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro.

Unlike the U.S. president, Sanader, speaking of the need to continue the integration of south-east European countries in European processes, mentioned Kosovo.

“In Kosovo, people have the right to live in a new democratic order that will protect minority communities and involve them in public administration and political life,” said the Croatian prime minister.

He said that Serbia too had the right to its own place in Europe and the world. “Serbia has paid the price for its failed policies of the past, and she not only has the right to, but rather, I’m sure, she will show that she’s ready for, a new future,” he stressed.

Bush, Putin in Russian talks

George W Bush is to go to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin for the last in a series of scheduled talks between the two leaders.

The meeting, in Sochi, follows a summit in Romania where the Russian president warned against the bloc's eastward expansion.

Bush is due to fly to Sochi on Russia's Black Sea coast later on Saturday to meet the Russian president.

Putin leaves office next month, though he is expected to serve as prime minister under President-elect Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia expressed its opposition to NATO plans to expand eastward at the summit. The former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine are seeking to become members of the security pact.

And, while the two countries were not offered a Membership Action Plan earlier this week, NATO did leave open the option of taking in the two countries.

The Russian and American leaders are expected to discuss U.S. plans to site a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

Russia has strongly criticized the U.S. proposals, which would see interceptor missiles based in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic.

NATO countries agreed to back U.S. plans to site a missile defence system in the two countries at the Bucharest summit.