Political Quotes

“Here the language says: These funds [$18,300,000] are provided to enhance programs aimed at improving the military capabilities of these nations and to strengthen their interoperability and standardization with NATO. . . . Mr. President, Partnership for Peace, is, I presume, the primary means by which these countries could work within the NATO framework. But I must say that I regret that this language is so specific as to use the word ``grant assistance to accelerate the Baltic States integration into NATO.'' The Senate considered NATO expansion very thoroughly earlier this year, at which time I, together with my distinguished colleague from New York, expressed our strongest reservations, particularly as it related to a timetable of any nature, for further admission of nations into NATO. This does not spell out a timetable, but it certainly gives them, in this language, together with the funds, a recognition which in my judgment is inappropriate, certainly at this time when the situation in Russia is so tenuous, as explained in the previous debate on NATO expansion, and in the context of the Baltic States. I will leave it to my colleague further details on that. But it is the judgment of the military planners in NATO that providing NATO assistance to these countries, should it be necessary, could well involve the use of nuclear weapons.…”