Russian MPs Against U.S. Financing of Ukrainian, Georgian Nato Bids – Kokoshin

MOSCOW. April 2 (Interfax-AVN) – Russian parliamentarians treat a U.S. Congress decision to finance Ukraine and Georgia’s NATO accession bids as blatant interference in the domestic affairs of the two countries, Head of the State Duma’s CIS Affairs Committee Andrei Kokoshin told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

“The vast majority of Russian MPs are against the decision of the U.S. Congress to activate efforts aimed at Ukrainian and Georgian NATO accession. We treat this as blatant interference in the domestic affairs of Ukraine and Georgia,” he said.

The vast majority of Ukrainians have already spoken against NATO accession, he said.

“There are no doubts that Georgians have a position different to Tbilisi’s official line. A recent decision of the Georgian parliament on NATO accession may be interpreted as a result of pressure and influence from outside, primarily from Washington,” he said.

It was earlier reported that $12 million will be given from the 2008 U.S. budget as a part of assistance to Ukraine, Georgia, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia in their NATO accession plans. The United States is to give $30 million by 2012 as part of this assistance.

(c) 2007 Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.