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Disinfo: Serbia's neighbours are drawn in the NATO despite the citizens' will

Summary

Not all of Serbia’s neighbours are able to withstand external pressure. Despite the will of most citizens they are drawn into the North Atlantic Alliance’s orbit with its fictional security guarantees.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation portraying NATO as an ambitiously expanding organisation. Countries can not be drawn into NATO because every country decides for itself if they want to join the Alliance or not. The NATO accession process consists of a series of formal steps which both the aspirant country and the Alliance continuously confirm. Countries wishing to join have to meet certain requirements and complete a multi-step process involving political dialogue and military integration. Concerning a possible enlargement, four partner countries have declared their aspirations for NATO membership: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Ukraine. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a political and military alliance, that was founded in 1949 and is a group of 29 countries from Europe and North America that exists to protect the people and territory of its members. As stated in the Brussels Summit Declaration from 11 July 2018, NATO is a defensive Alliance. Its greatest responsibility is to protect and defend the territories and populations of all member countries against attack. Read similar disinformation case here.

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publication/media

Sputnik Serbia - Latin (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 164
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/09/2019
  • Language/target audience: Serbian
  • Country: Serbia
  • Keywords: Western Balkans, EU/NATO enlargement, NATO
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All throughout the post-war period the Soviet Union kept the world from complete disaster and complete wildness

All throughout the post-war period, the Soviet Union kept the world from complete disaster and complete wildness.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

This case represents a manipulation of historical facts to downplay and justify Russian aggression towards European countries. See similar cases here.

It is important to mention the The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, which was a U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II. As the designer of the plan, George C. Marshall himself said: "Our policy is not directed against any country, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos."

Rasmussen suggested Georgia join NATO without Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Before joining NATO, Georgia should recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It is impossible to enter NATO with territorial disputes. Rasmussen suggested a very simple thing to Georgia – give up South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognize their independence and then we [NATO] will be ready to discuss your membership.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

This is manipulative interpretation of the former NATO Secretary General's statements, giving the impression that Georgia should give up its occupied regions in exchange for joining NATO. This is one of many types of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the relations between Georgia and NATO. Speaking at the 5th Tbilisi International Conference co-organized by McCain Institute and Economic Policy Research Centre, former NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said [13:07 - 15:00] that in case of Georgia’s accession to the alliance, it should be discussed internally whether Article 5 covers only the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government and applies to the occupied territories only after Georgia restores its jurisdiction there. As an illustration, Rasmussen brought an example of Germany, saying that West Germany joined NATO in 1955, while East Germany became a member of the alliance only in 1990, following German reunification.

“If one day we consider Georgia ready to join the alliance, we also have to make sure that Article 5 is still credible, which would require NATO to actually help Georgia, if Georgia is attacked. But obviously, it is the problem to have unresolved border disputes with Russia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. So, the question is - how could that be resolved. I think you have to discuss internally in Georgia: would you in that case be willing to accept that Article 5 will only cover the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government. And the NATO will also have to reflect on exactly the same question,” Rasmussen said.

Further debunking by Myth Detector.

The German chancellor is forming a new anti-Russian coalition

Angela Merkel is trying to form a new intra-European anti-Russian coalition in Europe.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russophobia, about Western belligerence towards Russia and about the West's anti-Russian actions. Similar cases can be consulted here andhere. No talks about a new coalition in Europe have taken place. During the last G7 summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that "We are in agreement that the return of Russia to the G7 cannot happen unless substantial progress is made in terms of the problems with Ukraine".