Berlin – Just as Russia signaled the possibility of recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia in retaliation for Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, it has now hinted at the likelihood of using these two republics as weapon against the expansion of NATO.
The Russian administration objects to the inclusion of Georgia and Ukraine in NATO, said Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s permanent ambassador to NATO, because "forcing Georgia to be in NATO is a provocation that may lead to a massacre."
Rogozin was interviewed by Der Spiegel, the German magazine. "[If Georgia joins NATO,] Georgia’s sovereignty ends, because Georgia loses the separatist regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Rogozin told Der Spiegel. If Ukraine joint NATO, Ukraine would get fragmented because the Ukrainians who are living on the eastern side of Ukraine and who are speaking Russian and want Ukraine to integrate rather with Russia resisted Ukraine’s integration with NATO they are, said Rogozin.
Ukraine and Georgia hope to earn the status of countries with candidacy for membership next month the NATO leaders meet. France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg are hesitant about granting these two countries membership status. Many members oppose the plans of expansion because they do not want to incur the wrath of Russia.
Russia has already threatened to attack the West in case the United States (US) establish in the Czech Republic and Poland its missile shelters. (Agency Caucasus)
