UKRAINE, GEORGIA WILL STAND NEW CHANCE TO JOIN NATO MEMBERSHIP ACTION PLAN IN DECEMBER

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Ukraine and Georgia lost their chance to join the NATO Membership Action Plan during the Bucharest summit, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said following the extraordinary meeting in Bucharest Thursday.

At the same time, he said, agreement was reached that the two countries would make their weighty contribution to the current operations of the Alliance. According to Scheffer, the heads of states and governments ordered foreign ministers to study the progress Ukraine and Georgia made on their path to the Membership Action Plan, and pass a final decision on their applications during the meeting in December.

Intensive political contracts will start with both countries at a high political level to settle outstanding questions, the Secretary General emphasized.

He noted that the delegates to the summit welcomed democratic reforms in Ukraine and Georgia, and voiced hope for free and just elections in Georgia in May this year.

UKRINFORM