"Washington does not believe that it has violated the promise given to Russia not to expand NATO to the east, as it is guided by the "open door policy," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
"We have made it clear that the doors of NATO are open, and we are committed to an open door policy," RIA Novosti quoted Price as saying.
According to him, the alliance should have such an option, since NATO is a defense structure. "The idea that NATO or applicants for membership, like Ukraine, can pose a threat to Russia is ridiculous," the State Department spokesman said.
There was no response from Price to the journalists' reminder that Secretary of State James Baker promised Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 not to expand NATO "an inch to the East."
After being asked again whether Washington considers Baker's promise to be erroneous or violated, and whether the Americans realize why Russia is ready to respond to this, Price referred to the "long-standing policy" of the United States, which was confirmed in 2008 at the NATO summit in Bucharest.
Alexander Samozhnev
