U.S. Senate backs Montenegro's membership in NATO

[webfact]

U.S. Senate backs Montenegro's membership in NATO

By Patricia Zengerle

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO: A NATO flag flies at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, March 2, 2014. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Dimensions3500 x 2246

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly backed the expansion of NATO to allow Montenegro to join the alliance, hoping to send a message that the United States will push back against Russian efforts to increase its influence in Europe.

 

The long-delayed vote was 97-2 in favour of Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. That was well above the two-thirds majority needed in the 100-member Senate to ratify Montenegro's membership.

 

There was no immediate confirmation of whether President Donald Trump would formally deposit the instrument of ratification, the last step in the U.S. ratification process.

 

However, his administration had supported NATO membership for the tiny Balkan nation, one of Europe's smallest, despite Trump at times criticizing the alliance as he campaigned for president last year.

 

While campaigning, Trump accused other NATO members of failing to pay their fair share while adopting a conciliatory tone toward Russia. But as president, Trump has pledged his support for the alliance.

 

Reuters reported last week that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrote to the leaders of the Senate this month to say Montenegro's membership in NATO was "strongly in the interests of the United States."

 

On Tuesday, the only two "no" votes came from Republican Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee, who had delayed the vote for months by refusing to allow a quick vote. Senate leaders held the more time-consuming roll call vote this week after receiving Tillerson's letter.

 

Paul had questioned the wisdom of allowing a country with just 650,000 residents and an army of just 2,000 to join the alliance, saying American taxpayers should not be forced to pay if Montenegro were attacked.

 

Russia opposes NATO's enlargement in the western Balkans.

 

Backers said it was important to support countries like Montenegro to promote western values and push back against Moscow, which Montenegrin officials said was partly behind an alleged plot to overthrow their government during an election in October 2016.

 

Moscow dismissed that accusation.

 

"With a nearly unanimous vote, the Senate has sent a clear message that it stands firmly with Montenegro and against the Kremlin's bullying," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

 

All 28 NATO members must ratify Montenegro's accession in order for the country to join the alliance. Washington is among the last to do so.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-29

[craigt3365]

Maybe membership in NATO will help with this:

 

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/finger-pointed-at-russians-in-alleged-coup-plot-in-montenegro/

 

Quote

 

Finger pointed at Russians in alleged coup plot in Montenegro

Originally published November 26, 2016 at 6:39 pm

 

Montenegrin authorities say two Russians carrying passports in the names of Eduard Shirikov and Vladimir Popov commanded the botched plot.

 

 

[sanukjim]

Is not this where Thaksin has a passport from ?

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The long-delayed vote was 97-2 in favour of Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

That's one for The Gipper.

And Trump is nothing like the Gipper when it comes to national security and projection of American strength throughout the world.

[Naam]

any moves planned inviting the Vatican and Azerbeidshan to join NATO?

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, Naam said:

any moves planned inviting the Vatican and Azerbeidshan to join NATO?

Azerbaijan hasn't ruled it out.  Seems there's already some sort of relations with NATO.

 

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49111.htm

Quote

 

Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations.

From 1999 to 2008, troops from Azerbaijan were part of the NATO-led operation in Kosovo (KFOR).

 

Azerbaijan actively supports the ISAF operation in Afghanistan since 2002, where it has gradually increased its forces to about 95 personnel. 

 

 

Interesting here:

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/64129

Quote

Azerbaijan's defense minister told U.S. officials that the country was interested in "active cooperation with NATO up to full membership" but couldn't say so publicly, according to a diplomatic cable recently released by Wikileaks. The cable recounts a 2007 meeting between Defense Minister Safar Abiyev and a U.S. delegation from the Pentagon and State Department headed by then-Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Peter Rodman:

 

[Naam]

13 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Azerbaijan hasn't ruled it out.  Seems there's already some sort of relations with NATO.

i am aware of that. but won't some redneck senators and the Trumpster-in-Chief object? after all Azeris are (oh my god!) potential Muslim terrorists.

[craigt3365]

11 minutes ago, Naam said:

i am aware of that. but won't some redneck senators and the Trumpster-in-Chief object? after all Azeris are (oh my god!) potential Muslim terrorists.

55555  That's entirely possible!  Luckily, a majority of congress is smarter than that.  Though some definitely are not!  Especially Trump.

 

They are very moderate Muslims.  Rarely saw a head scarf while there.  Parts of the country are quite nice.