Russia - Gorbachev comments on NATO expansion

(16 Apr 1997) T/I: 10:09:16 Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev on Tuesday (15/4) cautioned the US Congress against the planned expansion of NATO. He claimed that it would be a mistake to expand the alliance without an agreement not to deploy nuclear weapons and combat troops in new member countries. Gorbachev told Congress that the inclusion in NATO of former Soviet bloc nations Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic could strengthen conservative sentiment in Russia. Without naming China, he said a new power was emerging in the Pacific that needs to be balanced by the US and by a Europe that includes Russia. He said he was not convinced by assurances that Russia had nothing to fear from NATO expansion. In the post-Cold War era, he said, NATO should not treat Russia as the victorious allies severely restrained Germany after World War I. Gorbachev now heads an environmental protection foundation. ================================================================ SHOWS: WASHINGTON, DC, USA; 4/15; Medium shot of Mikhail Gorbachev entering the briefing room; cutaway of audience; WS of Gorbachev at podium; SOT (Russian with English translation ) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Leader says, “I believe it’s a mistake, it is a bad mistake and I am not persuaded by the assurances I hear that Russia has nothing to worry about“; Cutaway audience; SOT Mikhail Gorbachev says, “You can not, you may not humiliate a nation, a people and think that it will have no consequences. So my question is, is this a new strategy?“; Medium shot of audience; rear view of Gorbachev speaking; SOT Mikhail Gorbachev says, “I feel that if the same kind of games continue to be played, if one country plays some card against the other country then all of those problems, all those issues we have been mentioning today will be very difficult to resolve.“; WS side view of Gorbachev speaking; CU Gorbachev ends speech, crowd applauds; crowd rises to applaud; Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: #Gorbachev #NATO #Russia You can license this story through AP Archive: