RUSSIA TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY IF GEORGIA AND UKRAINE JOIN NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2008 15:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia will be forced to strengthen security on its
borders if Georgia and Ukraine join NATO, Army General Yury Baluyevsky,
chief of the country’s General Staff, said on Friday.

At a summit in Bucharest last Thursday, NATO members decided to
postpone offering Georgia and Ukraine the chance to join the NATO
Membership Action Plan, a key step toward full membership, but promised
to review the decision in December.

"Russia will undoubtedly take measures to ensure its security near
the state border. These will be both military and other measures,"
Baluyevsky said.

When asked to give details of the possible measures, Baluyevsky said
that "We will wait, as the issue is ambiguous."

"Ukrainians are unanimously against Ukraine joining NATO," the military
official said adding that in Georgia about 70% of the population is
in favor of membership, but there is still time and this could change,
RIA Novosti reports.