Mar 27, 2008 (Romania Report & sources)
Romania presents NATO Agenda… Russia says Kosovo must split, and launches threat of a “new Kosovo in Georgia”… Italian warship be stationed in Romania’s port of Constanta …
Romania presents NATO Agenda
BUCHAREST -- NATO's expansion and maintaining peace in the Balkans will be key issues at the alliance's Bucharest Summit – Romania's FM. "Inviting three new states for membership would strengthen the southern flank of the alliance, expanding the security and stability area in the Balkans," Romania’s foreign affairs minister Adrian Cioroianu told during a press conference, as referring to Albania, Croatia and Macedonia bids.
He added Bucharest backs the membership of all states, despite Greek threats to veto Macedonia.
Cioroianu also stressed that NATO wants to continue co-operation with its partners in the Western Balkans – i.e. Montenegro, Bosnia and Serbia.
"In Serbia's case, we hope the summit in Bucharest will send a strong message regarding the willingness of the alliance to cooperate with Belgrade, as soon as the Serbian authorities are prepared," the Romanian foreign minister said.
As of Kosovo, Cioroianu said Romania supports the alliance's constant role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The Summit will also address the alliance's ongoing operations in Afghanistan where there has been concern that some states have not been providing enough support to dismantle Taliban forces rooted in the country's uncontrollable South.
Romania will also table discussions on new geopolitical threats posed to member states such as cyber security and securing reliable energy supplies.
The NATO Summit will also address Russian concerns about a new United States missile defense shield, part of which will be located in Central Europe, and the aspirations of Ukraine and Georgia to join the alliance.
Russia says Kosovo must split, and launches threat of a “new Kosovo in Georgia”
BELGRADE - Former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov said on Wednesday that the ethnic partition of Kosovo was the only option to avoid future conflict, and it would entail population movements – Reuters reported on Mar 26.
Kosovo's 90 percent Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia on Feb 17 with Western support. Russia backs Serbia in its firm opposition to the move, which they say is an illegal secession.
About 120,000 Serbs still live in Kosovo, about half in a northern strip bordering on Serbia proper and the rest in scattered and isolated enclaves to the east and south.
"The best solution would be now for Serbs to move out of southern parts to northern parts, which are closer to Serbia, and then to join Serbia," Primakov said in an interview with Belgrade daily ‘Vecernje Novosti’.
"I still think partition is the only solution. If not, there will be constant conflicts and innocent people will suffer," he added.
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Russia and the West could be headed for a showdown over independence claims of two breakaway regions in Georgia – an UPI analysis reads on Mar 26.
Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi remain difficult, mainly because of independence claims by two pro-Russian Georgian breakaway regions.
On Friday, Russia's Duma in a statement called on the Russian president and the government to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia if Georgian authorities would use force to regain control of its breakaway provinces. Georgia has long accused Russia of secretly supporting the separatists.
The Duma's move is seen as a result of Georgia's bid for NATO membership and a response to the West's recognition of the former Serbian province of Kosovo.
U.S. President's Trip to the NATO Summit
Washington, White House -- On Monday, the U.S. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush will travel to Europe to participate in the President's sixth and final NATO summit, Press Secretary James S. Brady said during a briefing yesterday.
On Monday evening, March 31, the President and Mrs. Bush will arrive in Ukraine. On Tuesday, April 1, President Bush will meet with President Yushchenko of Ukraine, and later with Prime Minister Tymoshenko. The President will also have a chance to meet with the leader of the opposition, as well as the Speaker of the Parliament.
On Wednesday, April 2nd, President Bush will deliver remarks in Bucharest and then travel to Constanta to meet with President Basescu of Romania. President Bush will return to Bucharest later that day to meet with the Secretary General of NATO, before participating in a working dinner of NATO leaders.
On Thursday, April 3rd, President Bush will participate in the NATO summit in Bucharest, at which it is expected that allied leaders will take decisions on new members. The President will then participate in a NATO summit meeting with the leaders from nations invited to join the alliance that morning. He will then participate in a Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, so-called EAPC. That will be a working lunch. The EAPC includes all 26 NATO allies plus 23 NATO partner countries from Europe and Central Asia.
After the lunch, the President will participate in a meeting on Afghanistan. At this meeting, NATO leaders will be joined by Afghan President Karzai, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon of the United Nations, and our other partners in Afghanistan, including the European Union, the World Bank, and all nations contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF. We expect NATO nations and its partners in Afghanistan will demonstrate their firm commitment to Afghanistan over the long term, with pledges of additional contributions and renewed resolve to help Afghanistan succeed.
On Friday, April 4, President Bush will participate in a summit meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, followed by a summit meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. He will also meet with the Prime Minister of Romania. The President and Mrs. Bush will then depart for Zagreb, where President Bush will meet with the President of Croatia.
On Saturday, April 5, President Bush will meet with the Prime Minister of Croatia. The President will also deliver remarks in Zagreb and participate in a working lunch with leaders of those nations who have been invited at Bucharest to join the NATO Alliance. The President and Mrs. Bush will then depart Croatia.
The President has been invited by President Putin to visit Sochi in the Russian Federation. It is his intention to accept this invitation and to try to go to Sochi after the stop in Croatia. [The details were still being worked on this stop, on Mar 26]. And the President expects to return from Sochi sometime on Sunday, April 6, to Andrew's Air Force Base [in D.C.]. (White House - Office of the Press Secretary)
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