Rasmussen says not granting MAP to Georgia and Russia at Bucharest Summit was mistake

In April 2008, NATO allies met in Bucharest to discuss offering a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia and Ukraine, we decided to postpone that decision until the end of the year. In my view, that was a mistake, - Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former NATO secretary general, said in his article dedicated to the 70th anniversary of NATO founding.

“With an “open door policy,” NATO continues to accept new allies. And though the zeal for enlargement 20 years ago has given way to wariness about antagonizing Russia, such reticence is ill-advised. Recent history shows that every time NATO has dithered, Russia has moved in.

For example, in April 2008, NATO allies met in Bucharest to discuss offering a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia and Ukraine. At the insistence of Germany and France, we decided to postpone that decision until the end of the year. In my view, that was a mistake. Just months after our summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Georgia, and Russia has occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia ever since,” Rasmussen said.

The former Secretary General said Georgia and Ukraine continue to make significant progress toward meeting the criteria for NATO membership, under the assumption that they will indeed join the alliance one day.

“The prospect of an ever-closer relationship with NATO has provided an impetus for critical democratic and military reforms, and both countries now contribute regularly to NATO missions, more so even than many member states. Still, Georgia and Ukraine will need to undertake further reforms before they can meet the standards for full NATO membership,” Rasmussen said.

He noted that NATO members must increase the pressure (sanctions) on Russia to withdraw from Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The Alliance must make clear that Russian territorial grabs will no longer be regarded as impediments to offering aspiring member states a path to formal accession,” Rasmussen said.