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{{main|Macedonia naming dispute}}
{{main|Macedonia naming dispute}}


[[Greece]] had threatened on several occasions to veto the [[Republic of Macedonia]]'s NATO bid due to the longstanding [[Macedonia name dispute|naming dispute]] over the latter's name.<ref>http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1166588&lang=EN</ref> With the veto, [[Greece]] has violated the [[Interim Accord]], which states [[Greece]] will not prevent [[Republic of Macedonia]] from joining any international organization as long as it does so with the FYROM acronym <ref>http://www.hri.org/docs/fyrom/95-27866.html</ref> Athens argues that use of the name "Macedonia" implies territorial claims on [[ Greek Macedonia]]<ref>{{citenews|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7328915.stm|title=Nato to back US missile defence|work=[[BBC News]]|date=2008-04-03}}</ref> but supported through various actions of high government officials, schoolbooks, and governmental publications.<ref>Greece, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ''[http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/Articles/en-US/280308_alp_1640.htm Interview of FM Ms. Bakoyannis in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, with journalist Michael Martens]'', Retrieved on [[2008-04-06]].</ref><ref>[[Dora Bakoyannis|Bakoyannis, Dora]], [[Wall Street Journal]], ''[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120701620662579369.html All in a Name]'', Retrieved on [[2008-04-06]].</ref><ref>''[http://www.greeksoccer.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=235052139&mode=threaded&pid=1052837018 the picture at Greeksoccer.com]'', Retrieved on [[2008-04-06]].</ref> NATO officials said the country could begin talks on joining the alliance as soon as it had resolved its dispute with Greece.<br>
[[Greece]] had threatened on several occasions to veto the [[Republic of Macedonia]]'s NATO bid due to the longstanding [[Macedonia name dispute|naming dispute]] over the latter's name.<ref>http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1166588&lang=EN</ref> With the veto, [[Greece]] has violated the [[Interim Accord]], which states [[Greece]] will not prevent [[Republic of Macedonia]] from joining any international organization as long as it does so with the FYROM acronym <ref>http://www.hri.org/docs/fyrom/95-27866.html</ref> Athens argues that use of the name "Macedonia" implies territorial claims on [[ Greek Macedonia]]. <ref>{{citenews|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7328915.stm|title=Nato to back US missile defence|work=[[BBC News]]|date=2008-04-03}}</ref> [[Skopje]] denies the allegations [[Athens]] puts forth, since the [[Republic of Macedonia]] has changed its constitution to state no territorial claims towards its neighbors. <ref>http://www.constitution.org/cons/macedoni.htm</ref> [[NATO]] officials said the country could begin talks on joining the alliance as soon as it had resolved its dispute with [[Greece]].


==NATO-Russia meeting==
==NATO-Russia meeting==

Revision as of 20:45, 6 April 2008

The 2008 Bucharest Summit or the 20th NATO Summit is a NATO summit that was organized in Bucharest, Romania on 2–4 April 2008.[1][2] Among other business, Croatia and Albania were invited to join the alliance. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was not invited due to its ongoing naming dispute with Greece. Georgia and Ukraine had hoped to join the NATO Membership Action Plan,[3] but the NATO members decided to review their request in December 2008.[4]

Summit agenda

As said by Craig Kennedy in an introduction to the NATO Bucharest summit[5] and from the NATO summit program.[6]

  • NATO's capability and capacity.
  • The tensions in the Russia-NATO relationship (3 and 4 April).
  • Cyber security.
  • EU-NATO partnership.
  • Energy security.
  • Stability of the Western Balkans.
  • The mission in Afghanistan (2 and 3 April).
  • NATO enlargement (Albania, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).
  • NATO Action Plan membership (Georgia and Ukraine) (4 April).

Host

Romania competed for the organization of this summit with Portugal, which initially was scheduled to host the summit in 2006, but eventually renounced in favor of Latvia, which held the 2006 Riga Summit.[2] Romania received support from the United States, and U.S. Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns said in December 2006 that Romania deserved the honor to hold this event due to its contribution to the Alliance's common effort in the War in Afghanistan and for stability in the Iraq War. Romania has been a member of NATO since March 14, 2004.

Macedonia naming dispute and the Greek veto

Main article: Macedonia naming dispute

Greece had threatened on several occasions to veto the Republic of Macedonia's NATO bid due to the longstanding naming dispute over the latter's name.[7] With the veto, Greece has violated the Interim Accord, which states Greece will not prevent Republic of Macedonia from joining any international organization as long as it does so with the FYROM acronym [8] Athens argues that use of the name "Macedonia" implies territorial claims on Greek Macedonia. [9] Skopje denies the allegations Athens puts forth, since the Republic of Macedonia has changed its constitution to state no territorial claims towards its neighbors. [10] NATO officials said the country could begin talks on joining the alliance as soon as it had resolved its dispute with Greece.

NATO-Russia meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to the summit in Bucharest and he arrived on the second day (3 April) to participate in bilateral NATO-Russia talks. He opposed the US plans to deploy missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic, which was discussed at the summit. Russia also opposed Georgia and Ukraine's NATO membership bids.[11]

Outcome / Summary of 2 April

  • German Minister of Foreign affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier talked about Ukraine and Georgia and trying not to provoke Russia by doing so, as they are both on Russia's borders and are both former Soviet states.[12] Romanian President Traian Basescu said Romania's approach to the relationship with Russia was "leave behind the Cold War logic."[13]
  • US President George W. Bush had a meeting at Neptun with Traian Basescu about visas for one another's countries and working on organising bilateral relationships. Traian Basescu claimed Romania deserved to have better relation with the US as it had sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan[14] and had worked with the US.[15][16]
  • NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer opened the Securing our future' expedition. The display 'Defence against terrorism' was launched in the same exhibition and there were talks about NATO's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and making it a success.[17]
  • US President George W. Bush strongly supported for Ukraine and Georgia to become NATO action plan members, however he was opposed by Britain, France and Germany. The British judgment is that, although there was full support for both Ukraine and Georgia, the question of "when" they joined should remain in the balance. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and President Sarkozy of France are of the same mind.[18]
  • George W. Bush said he is "satisfied with the NATO commitment to Afghanistan". Countries such as France and Romania promised to send more troops to support the NATO mission in Afghanistan.[19]
  • Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen launched a new web-based television channel meant to improve understanding of the Alliance roles, operation and missions at the NATO Summit in Bucharest.[20][21]

Outcome / Summary of 3 April

  • A consensus was reached on Croatia and Albania. They were invited to join the alliance in 2009.[22][23]
  • FYROM's NATO bid has not been accepted yet due to the name dispute with Greece. However Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that the invitation will be offered to Skopje authorities "as soon as possible, as soon as a solution will be found".[24] FYROM officials expressed their disappointment and argued that the decision would undermine stability in the Balkans.[4] All NATO members agreed in writing that FYROM will not be able to join the alliance until it has settled its dispute with Greece.[25]
  • The alliance did not offer a Membership Action Plan to Georgia or Ukraine, largely due to the opposition of Britain, Germany and France, but pledged to review the decision in December 2008.[4] Even though Georgia was not offered MAP, it welcomed the decision and said "The decision to accept that we are going forward to an adhesion to NATO was taken and we consider this is a historic success".[26]
  • Nicolas Sarkozy, French President has confirmed he will send a battalion of troops (around 800) to the East of Afghanistan.[27] in order to ensure Canada could remain in the Kandahar province. Prime Minister Harper was threatening to remove Canada from the combat mission if another 1000 troops were not sent as reinforcements.
  • Nicolas Sarkozy has also said that France could be reintegrated the NATO military commandment at the next Alliance Summit in 2009, after it left the NATO military commandment in 1966.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have started the NATO intense dialog phase[28] and the alliance is thinking of co-operating with Serbia too.[29]
  • Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, arrived in Bucharest to participate in Friday's NATO - Russia Council session. President Putin will present to the members of the Alliance Moscow’s point of view regarding the future collaboration in the Russia-NATO Council, and the challenges that the contemporary world faces.[30] Putin attended the summit with a positive attitude and wanted to avoid the disputes relating to recognition of the Kosovo province or the missile shield and the speech of the Russian President was expected to be moderate.[31]
  • NATO announced its support for territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova.[32][33]

Outcome / Summary of 4 April

After the summit

  • Poland claims it is satisfied with the NATO summit. The Polish delegation at the NATO summit in Bucharest is satisfied with the Organisation’s declaration supporting the deployment of the US antimissile shield in Europe, Sławomir Nowak, the head of PM’s political cabinet, has said.[36]
  • Russian President Putin is pleased about the alliance deciding not to invite Georgia and Ukraine to the Membership Action Plan for the time being.[37]

References

  1. ^ Bucharest to host 2008 NATO Summit, NATO, April 27, 2007,
  2. ^ a b Romania to host NATO summit in spring 2008, Romanian Information Center in Brussels, 2007
  3. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_130.html
  4. ^ a b c Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine. The BBC News. 3 April 2008.
  5. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_1.html
  6. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/3.html
  7. ^ http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1166588&lang=EN
  8. ^ http://www.hri.org/docs/fyrom/95-27866.html
  9. ^ "Nato to back US missile defence". BBC News. 2008-04-03.
  10. ^ http://www.constitution.org/cons/macedoni.htm
  11. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080331/ap_on_re_eu/russia_vs_nato_1
  12. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_160.html
  13. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_164.html
  14. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_166.html
  15. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_167.html
  16. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_163.html
  17. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_162.html
  18. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3670335.ece?token=null&offset=0
  19. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_178.html
  20. ^ http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2008/03-march/e0328a.html
  21. ^ http://www.natochannel.tv
  22. ^ "Bucharest Summit Declaration Issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Bucharest on 3 April 2008". NATO. 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ NATO chief welcomes Albania and Croatia for 2009. RadioNetherlands. April 3 2008.
  24. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_185.html
  25. ^ [1]. eKathimerini.com. April 4 2008.
  26. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_189.html
  27. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_184.html
  28. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/03/content_7913873.htm
  29. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_188.html
  30. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_205.html
  31. ^ a b http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_209.html
  32. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_206.html
  33. ^ http://www.moldpres.md/default.asp?Lang=en&ID=84973
  34. ^ http://www.summitbucharest.ro/en/doc_210.html
  35. ^ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/9150/
  36. ^ http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/news/?id=79495
  37. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article3681609.ece
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2008 Bucharest summit.
Preceded by
2006 Riga Summit
(19th NATO Summit)
 2008 Bucharest Summit
(20th NATO Summit) 		Succeeded by
2009 Strasbourg and Kehl Summit
(21st NATO Summit)
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