Russian Duma Passes Resolution Against NATO ExpansionRussia's State Duma on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a resolution against NATO's eastward expansion, calling on President Vladimir Putin to instruct the cabinet to step up resistance to NATO's enlargement.The Duma, or the lower house of parliament, approved the resolution by 230 to 2 vote with four abstentions. Lawmakers decided to ask President Vladimir Putin to instruct the government to work out a comprehensive plan of countermeasures against NATO expansion and inform the Duma about its contents. They also proposed the Duma's permanent delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly refrain from participation in its events on the territories of the countries seeking to join NATO. The Duma members expressed concern about NATO's plans to admit Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which may happen in 2002, the resolution said. They condemned plans to hold a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius at the end of May. "This action should be considered as yet another step towards NATO by certain Baltic countries," the document said. It recommended that Duma members who travel to the countries which are potential NATO members "conduct active work to explain the negative consequences of the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization." |
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