On the recordJanuary 27, 1994
I think it is important that we send a signal to the Russian military and to other Russian leaders who are emerging, who would seem to be taking that country back toward a rather dictatorial or imperialistic path, that the United States is going to support the opening up of NATO as far as its membership is concerned to those European nations who qualify, who measure up to the standards that we insist be met by NATO members; that they agree to subordinate their militaries to civil control; that they promote democratic values and reforms; that they, in fact, have protection for minorities within their countries. All the standards we would impose upon members of NATO today, we would ask them to measure up to, as well. And if they do so, then they will be invited to join into NATO itself.
