The Hindu : Bush welcomes new NATO members

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004

International

International

Bush welcomes new NATO members

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MARCH 30. The U.S. President, George W. Bush, has formally welcomed the seven new members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation saying the Western alliance would be strengthened because "tyranny for them is still a fresh memory." Standing with the leaders of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, Mr. Bush said the seven had earned their "freedom through courage and perseverance and today they stand with us as full and equal partners in this great alliance."

Mr. Bush also said they brought "moral clarity" to the purpose of the alliance.

"They understand our cause in Afghanistan and in Iraq because tyranny for them is still a fresh memory," he said and praised NATO for its help in Iraq and for playing a peacekeeping role in Afghanistan. The Secretary-General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said the alliance might be willing to play a role in Iraq but only if the U.N. authorised a global security force.

He said NATO might even be willing to take command of that force. Mr. Scheffer has also stressed that much needs to be done to further strengthen the relationship between NATO and Russia.

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