Moscow doubts NATO ability to keep Balkans stable
MOSCOW. July 10 (Interfax) - The West is confident that the only way to bring peace to the Balkans is to admit all regional countries to NATO and the European Union, Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry Fourth European Department Igor Kalabukhov has said.
"Our Western partners are absolutely positive that this [peace and stability in the Balkans] can be achieved exclusively via the affiliation of all countries of the region to NATO and the European Union," Kalabukhov told reporters on Friday.
Under these circumstances Russia is building "bilateral relations with these states on the real recognition of foreign policy priorities these states set for themselves," he said.
"The wish to integrate with the European Union is the point of unity for them [countries of the Balkan region]," the Russian diplomat said. "The same applies to Serbia. Yet the positions on NATO differ," he said.
"As to Bosnia and Herzegovina, their situation is paradoxical: we are assured that their domestic security will grow with accession to NATO, although clearly NATO is not the guarantor of internal political stability in either country. Even from the point of view of the North Atlantic Treaty, it can provide only external protection and cannot and has no right to interfere in domestic processes," Kalabukhov said.