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Bush in Romania for Nato summit | Bush in Romania for Nato summit |
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US President George W Bush is expected to push for Nato's eastern expansion during a key summit in Romania. | US President George W Bush is expected to push for Nato's eastern expansion during a key summit in Romania. |
Mr Bush is expected to tell the alliance's biggest-ever gathering that Nato membership must be open to any European democracy that seeks it. | Mr Bush is expected to tell the alliance's biggest-ever gathering that Nato membership must be open to any European democracy that seeks it. |
Russia's President Vladimir Putin is expected to voice concern over its eastward expansion - Russia has warned of a crisis if Ukraine tries to join. | Russia's President Vladimir Putin is expected to voice concern over its eastward expansion - Russia has warned of a crisis if Ukraine tries to join. |
Nato's role in Afghanistan will also be on the agenda at the two-day summit. | Nato's role in Afghanistan will also be on the agenda at the two-day summit. |
Mr Bush arrived in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, late on Tuesday. He has said he will press the 26-member Nato alliance to support Membership Action Plans for both Ukraine and Georgia. | Mr Bush arrived in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, late on Tuesday. He has said he will press the 26-member Nato alliance to support Membership Action Plans for both Ukraine and Georgia. |
The US president, who will meet Mr Putin for talks on Sunday, said he had been assured by other Nato members that Russia would not have a veto on Kiev's possible admission. | The US president, who will meet Mr Putin for talks on Sunday, said he had been assured by other Nato members that Russia would not have a veto on Kiev's possible admission. |
Power balance | Power balance |
Grigory Karasin, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said Ukrainian membership of the Western alliance would "entail a deep crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations". | Grigory Karasin, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said Ukrainian membership of the Western alliance would "entail a deep crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations". |
France and Germany, backed by several smaller west European allies, oppose Ukrainian membership. | France and Germany, backed by several smaller west European allies, oppose Ukrainian membership. |
And opinion polls in Ukraine suggest there is little public support there for its admission to the alliance. | And opinion polls in Ukraine suggest there is little public support there for its admission to the alliance. |
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the BBC he supported Nato membership for the former Soviet states. | |
"There's no way that the door will be locked for Ukraine and Georgia," he said. | "There's no way that the door will be locked for Ukraine and Georgia," he said. |
"The Nato Treaty very clearly states that European democracies fulfilling their criteria for Nato membership are welcome." | "The Nato Treaty very clearly states that European democracies fulfilling their criteria for Nato membership are welcome." |
Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he understood Russian concerns but added that the "final decision will be taken by the allies and not by anybody else". | Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he understood Russian concerns but added that the "final decision will be taken by the allies and not by anybody else". |
'Finish the fight' | 'Finish the fight' |
During a speech to be delivered at the two-day summit on Wednesday, Mr Bush is expected to urge Nato to "finish the fight" in Afghanistan, where the alliance is struggling against a Taliban insurgency. | During a speech to be delivered at the two-day summit on Wednesday, Mr Bush is expected to urge Nato to "finish the fight" in Afghanistan, where the alliance is struggling against a Taliban insurgency. |
The Nato-led force there currently numbers some 47,000 troops from 40 nations. Commanders have called for a further 10,000 soldiers to be deployed. | The Nato-led force there currently numbers some 47,000 troops from 40 nations. Commanders have called for a further 10,000 soldiers to be deployed. |
UKRAINIANS IN NATO MISSIONS Kosovo: 184 soldiersAfghanistan: 3 soldiersNato training mission in IraqMediterranean patrols in 2007 | UKRAINIANS IN NATO MISSIONS Kosovo: 184 soldiersAfghanistan: 3 soldiersNato training mission in IraqMediterranean patrols in 2007 |
Answering a US call for more contributions to fight the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said France would send "several hundred" more soldiers to Afghanistan. | Answering a US call for more contributions to fight the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said France would send "several hundred" more soldiers to Afghanistan. |
But he said France would oppose offering eventual membership to Ukraine and Georgia, saying it would upset the balance of power between Europe and Russia. | But he said France would oppose offering eventual membership to Ukraine and Georgia, saying it would upset the balance of power between Europe and Russia. |
"We think that it is not a good answer to the balance of power within Europe and between Europe and Russia," he said. | "We think that it is not a good answer to the balance of power within Europe and between Europe and Russia," he said. |
The West, he added, had to make a strategic choice because "this crisis will also affect in the most adverse way pan-European security too". | The West, he added, had to make a strategic choice because "this crisis will also affect in the most adverse way pan-European security too". |