Joe Biden: “it is signed by the President and the heads of state of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia in mid-January, as a commitment…”

“it is signed by the President and the heads of state of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia in mid-January, as a commitment to a Europe that is whole and free, based upon Western values and Baltic integration into interlocking European and transatlantic security institutions. The key language on NATO membership states: The United States of America welcomes the aspirations and supports the efforts of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to join NATO. It affirms its view that NATO's partners can become members as each aspirant proves itself able and willing to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership, and as NATO determines that inclusion of these nations would serve European stability and the strategic interests of the Alliance. We said the same thing to the Russians and to every other country. I might add, by the way, when I say the President made the same commitment for theoretic membership of Russia in the alliance, people say, ``Oh, my God, how can you say that?'' I would like to take us back 40 years when NATO was contemplating debate on this floor. If someone would have said, ``if the admission of Germany would enhance stability, we would invite them,'' they would have been looked at like they were crazy. Our goal is European stability, territorial integrity. I don't think the President's actions in fact----”