U.S. diplomat: Serbia will decide on joining NATO

A diplomat serving as deputy ambassador of the United States to Serbia has said that "Serbia itself should decide whether to become a member of NATO". The U.S. is not exerting pressure for the adoption of the relevant decision, said Earle Litzenberger. U.S. diplomat: Serbia will decide on joining NATO The U.S. and its allies in NATO encourage Serbia to choose closer cooperation because it is already active through the Partnership for Peace, but it is up to Serbia and its people to opt for membership in the Alliance, Litzenberger said at a roundtable held at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy. Litzenberger emphasized that no one is exerting pressure on Serbia to opt for membership in NATO. NATO is not behaving according to the principle - membership or nothing. Countries like Serbia in the Partnership for Peace program decide for themselves on the degree of cooperation with NATO, he said at a meeting devoted to the NATO summit on May 20 and 21 in Chicago. Litzenberger recalled that the United States supports Serbia's efforts for European Union accession, pointing out that the authorities in the country should bear in mind that Europe is built on the security guaranteed by NATO. The NATO mission in Kosovo (KFOR) is the best guarantee of peace and security in the region, and thus the guarantee of security for Kosovo Serbs, on which Belgrade insists, he said. This is corroborated by the fact that KFOR has intensified its presence on the ground during the recent elections in order to send a message that it would not tolerate the slightest provocation, Litzenberger said. (Beta, file) "Keep Serbia neutral" Center for Strategic Alternatives President Alkesandar Mitic, who also took part in the gathering, was unconvinced by the U.S. diplomat's argument, and voiced his opinion that KFOR was not acting as it should do in Kosovo. The military mission in Kosovo "should demand from (ethnic) Albanians more directly to refrain from violence", he noted. Describing himself as a NATO skeptic, Milic said that Serbia must organize a referendum on the country's possible future membership, and that this plebiscit should take place as soon as possible: "It is very important that parties that advocate the country's membership in NATO - such as the LDP and the URS - have been defeated in the elections. With the Socialist Party of Serbia in a future government, the authorities will not be able to make any moves regarding membership behind the back of the public." He noted that Serbia "should not cast aside its military neutrality - since a country in that position stands only to benefit". The roundtable agreed that the upcoming NATO summit in the United States will not make any decisions on the western military alliance's enlargements, but that it could revise previous decisions related to cooperation programs with present and future partners. Tanjug

U.S. diplomat: Serbia will decide on joining NATO

The U.S. and its allies in NATO encourage Serbia to choose closer cooperation because it is already active through the Partnership for Peace, but it is up to Serbia and its people to opt for membership in the Alliance, Litzenberger said at a roundtable held at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy.

Litzenberger emphasized that no one is exerting pressure on Serbia to opt for membership in NATO.

NATO is not behaving according to the principle - membership or nothing. Countries like Serbia in the Partnership for Peace program decide for themselves on the degree of cooperation with NATO, he said at a meeting devoted to the NATO summit on May 20 and 21 in Chicago.

Litzenberger recalled that the United States supports Serbia's efforts for European Union accession, pointing out that the authorities in the country should bear in mind that Europe is built on the security guaranteed by NATO.

The NATO mission in Kosovo (KFOR) is the best guarantee of peace and security in the region, and thus the guarantee of security for Kosovo Serbs, on which Belgrade insists, he said.

This is corroborated by the fact that KFOR has intensified its presence on the ground during the recent elections in order to send a message that it would not tolerate the slightest provocation, Litzenberger said.

"Keep Serbia neutral"

Center for Strategic Alternatives President Alkesandar Mitić, who also took part in the gathering, was unconvinced by the U.S. diplomat's argument, and voiced his opinion that KFOR was not acting as it should do in Kosovo.

The military mission in Kosovo "should demand from (ethnic) Albanians more directly to refrain from violence", he noted.

Describing himself as a NATO skeptic, Milić said that Serbia must organize a referendum on the country's possible future membership, and that this plebiscit should take place as soon as possible:

"It is very important that parties that advocate the country's membership in NATO - such as the LDP and the URS - have been defeated in the elections. With the Socialist Party of Serbia in a future government, the authorities will not be able to make any moves regarding membership behind the back of the public."

He noted that Serbia "should not cast aside its military neutrality - since a country in that position stands only to benefit".

The roundtable agreed that the upcoming NATO summit in the United States will not make any decisions on the western military alliance's enlargements, but that it could revise previous decisions related to cooperation programs with present and future partners.