“NATO wants Serbia in its ranks”

NATO believes it cannot afford the luxury of leaving Serbia out of Euro-Atlantic integration, a spokesman for the alliance says.

Izvor: Tanjug

Monday, 17.09.2007.

11:35

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NATO believes it cannot afford the luxury of leaving Serbia out of Euro-Atlantic integration, a spokesman for the alliance says. “In [NATO chief] Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's opinion, NATO cannot afford the luxury of leaving Serbia out of its circle, for it is a very important - if not the most important - country in the region,” his spokesman James Appathurai said in an interview with daily Vecernje Novosti on Monday. “NATO wants Serbia in its ranks” “Belgrade’s presentation document for the Partnership for Peace Program assured NATO that would not happen,” he said. Asked whether NATO wanted Serbia in its ranks, Appathurai said: “It depends on each state in the Euro-Atlantic region, and in Scheffer’s opinion, Euro-Atlantic integration is the only way to secure long-term peace and stability in the western Balkans.” “If Serbia wants to join NATO, that’s fine with us, as we have the procedure and mechanisms to make that happen." "But if Serbia does not want to be our member, that is fine as well. There are numerous countries in Europe without NATO aspirations, such as Austria for example,” said Appathurai. However, he acknowledged the fact that a vast proportion of the Serbian population perceives NATO negatively in view of the 1999 war, “which makes us an easy target for criticism.” “Nonetheless, in the future we see Serbia as part of our family,” Appathurai said. “NATO’s role in Kosovo is beneficial to Serbia since we are providing security for the Serbs there and safeguarding structures of their cultural heritage. We do hope that people in Serbia realize that.”

“NATO wants Serbia in its ranks”

“Belgrade’s presentation document for the Partnership for Peace Program assured NATO that would not happen,” he said.

Asked whether NATO wanted Serbia in its ranks, Appathurai said:

“It depends on each state in the Euro-Atlantic region, and in Scheffer’s opinion, Euro-Atlantic integration is the only way to secure long-term peace and stability in the western Balkans.”

“If Serbia wants to join NATO, that’s fine with us, as we have the procedure and mechanisms to make that happen."

"But if Serbia does not want to be our member, that is fine as well. There are numerous countries in Europe without NATO aspirations, such as Austria for example,” said Appathurai.

However, he acknowledged the fact that a vast proportion of the Serbian population perceives NATO negatively in view of the 1999 war, “which makes us an easy target for criticism.”

“Nonetheless, in the future we see Serbia as part of our family,” Appathurai said.

“NATO’s role in Kosovo is beneficial to Serbia since we are providing security for the Serbs there and safeguarding structures of their cultural heritage. We do hope that people in Serbia realize that.”

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