#12 - RW 11-5-04 - RW Home
U.S. ambassador does not rule out Russia may join NATO in future

MOSCOW. Nov 4 (Interfax) - U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Alexander Vershbow, said Russia may join NATO in the future, but this step will depend on the Russian authorities' decision.

Entry into NATO depends on Russia and on whether it would like to raise the issue of its membership or not, Vershbow said in his residence in Moscow.

This will be a complex process plagued by numerous problems, but the U.S. position is that Russia's membership in NATO is possible, he said.

Vershbow expressed hope that today's disagreements will be resolved and Russia and NATO will become allies. Allied relations are a transitional stage between partnership ties and membership, the ambassador said.