Russian lawmaker criticize U.S. bill inviting Ukraine, Georgia to NATO

U.S. support for Georgia and Ukraine membership in NATO can not secure the stability in the European region, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday.

"The signing of the law on support for the joining of NATO by a number of countries, including Ukraine and Georgia, has nothing to do with the modernization of NATO or the consolidation of European security," Vladimir Pekhtin, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

"This is a provoking factor, which reduces mutual trust between our countries. It does not promote the strengthening of strategic and partner relations between Moscow and Washington. Besides, it does not make it possible to develop mutually advantageous cooperation in the sphere of international energy security," he said.

Pekhtin reminded that the State Duma had adopted a statement on April 6, which had expressed concern over the U.S. intention to actively build up its military presence on the European continent, close to the Russian borders.

Apart from their plan to deploy elements of the ABM system in the Czech Republic and Poland, Americans say they could deploy ABM elements in one of the Caucasian countries and in Ukraine, Pekhtin noted.

"This cannot but evoke our serious concern," he said.

U.S. President George W. Bush signed on Tuesday the law, which supports the admission of new members to NATO, such as Georgia, Ukraine, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia.

Source: Xinhua