Russian Kommersant: If Crimea joins Russia, Georgia could be granted MAP

If Crimea becomes part of Russia, Georgia could obtain a Membership Action Plan (MAP) at an official NATO meeting in September.

An unidentified source at NATO’s headquarters told Russian media Kommersant that if Crimean residents vote in the March 16 referendum for the Crimea peninsula to become part of the Russian Federation, Georgia may be granted a MAP at the NATO Summit scheduled for September in the United Kingdom (UK).

The news, allegedly also confirmed by an anonymous source at the Department of United States, was published on the Kommersant website today.

"The final resolution of this issue will depend on the outcome of Ukraine’s crisis”, the website claimed.

"Russian activities in Ukraine have caused renewed debates of a more decisive policy of the Alliance in Eastern Europe. While representatives of the member states have urged not to force this issue, they have spoken out about satisfying Georgia’s application on gaining NATO membership candidate status”, the article said.

A source from the US State Department said when Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili visited Washington, the US promised it would support Georgia’s NATO integration.

"Georgia’s international course to European and Atlantic integration will not change despite a change of power. Garibashvili made this clear in his speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington," journalist Elena Chernenko wrote in her article.

Russia considered NATO’s perspective of approaching its borders as "unacceptable”.

The article expressed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opinion about an extension of the Alliance. He considered the process as a "continuation of the old logic of the cold war era,” the article said.

The author referred to a comment made by the US Department source, claiming "if Crimea joins Russia, [the issue of] giving a MAP to Georgia will almost be solved.”

The source explained the word "almost” in terms that only Germany may hinder Georgia’s ambition to gain a MAP, as its foreign department was still being led by Franc-Walter Steinmeier as it was in 2008, who is "loyal to Moscow”, Chernenko wrote.

Kommersant’s unidentified source said the opinion of Germany and other skeptical counties may change, as Crimea joining Russia was not acceptable to any EU country.

The article stated in early February, the Georgian Government declared the approach of the previous Government towards Russia seriously damaged Georgia.

"Mr Garibashvili also reminded us of the European leaders’ support of the new policies employed in Georgia, which resulted in reciprocal constructive steps from Russia”, Kommersant reported.

Georgia initially announced its intention to become a NATO member in 2008, during the NATO Summit in Bucharest.

Resistance from Germany and France hindered Georgia in obtaining a MAP, but the country was promised it would be able to join the Alliance in the future, Kommersant reported.

The author stated that after the Georgia-Russia war in 2008 and after Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia’s NATO integration vanished from the agenda. She said the 2012 Chicago Summit only mentioned NATO’s door was open for Georgia.

Georgia’s state Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alexi Petriashvili responded to the Russian article and said the priority to grant Georgia a MAP was "very top”.

"The day before yesterday [Georgia] was approved by the Annual National Program, which has been sent to Brussels and jointly approved this week. This was a specific action plan and priorities document,” Petriashvili said.

"The development of events in Ukraine, of course, influenced the Alliance’s attitude with our goals to correcting the plans.”

He added: "The Georgian Government is doing its best but the final decision should be made by NATO.”