Russian President Vladimir Putin will most probably take part at the Bucharest NATO Summit in April, regardless if the Reunion Agenda contains sensitive issues for Kremlin, like the possible inclusion of Georgia and Ukraine, two former Soviet republics, in the NATO Membership Action Plan, reports the Moscow publication „Gazette" in its Monday edition, quoting First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. Ivanov made the announcement on Sunday, in a press-statement held with the occasion of the 44th Edition of the Annual Security Politics Conference in München, scheduled for February 8-10.
Ivanov, a former Defense Minister in 2001-2007, wanted to put an end to the worries of the Western chancelleries, denying the possibility of a Russian recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia (two distinct regions on Georgia's boarder with the Russian Federation) immediately after the unilateral proclamation of independence in Kosovo. Ivanov warned however on a possible "domino effect" caused by Western states' recognition of the independence in Kosovo.
About Georgia and Ukraine's NATO accession, Ivanov stated: "both are independent states and are entitled to take such decisions". He also gave the participation of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Bucharest NATO Summit in April as a very likely one. The Bucharest NATO Summit is regarded by the Romanian authorities as a potential occasion to relaunch the relations between Romania and Russia.
(Source: Rompres)
