Malcolm Rifkind

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Sir John, and the Ministers discussed cementing the improved relations with Russia in the 1990s

British officials suggested inviting Russia to integrate to Nato "" which show it to be published in The West after the end of the Cold War , new secret documents.

The Ministry of defence floated the idea of Russia to be an "associated member" of The Alliance in the year 1995, with The Right to participate in the meetings, but with no guarantees, when it comes to safety.

The Proposal was rejected, on a top-level meeting in Chequers, and that of January.

According to The Minutes of The Meeting of The Plan as a "Farce".

of Nato , the North Atlantic Treaty organization - was founded in 1949 to safeguard the freedom, democracy and mutual security of Western Europe in The Face of the Soviet policy of expansion after the second World War .

the members agree that an armed attack against one is considered an attack against them all, and that they come to you to help each other.

But after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the idea of participation of Moscow in the trans-Atlantic Alliance was seriously considered, since a change of relationships.

A memo from the MoD, which is part of a series of newly released official documents from The National Archives, said: "the Integration of Russia into the European and Western family of Nations in a realistic and sensitive way," was "the hardest problem" with the UK and its allies.

It is acknowledged that Russia - which at the Time Was led by Boris Yeltsin - a full-fledged member of Nato would be "impossible," as it would be required to undertake in accordance with article V of the founding Treaty, the United Kingdom and other existing members, who come to Russia in the area of the defence if its territory was attacked.

But the official suggested that a possible solution was to "create a new category of associate member", in Russia a recognised status within Nato , will be able to attend meetings, and in discussions about the security problems on The Continent .

'normal member'

the helper of the MoD is agreed, The Proposal confidential before The Chequers summit, the then Prime Minister , Sir John Major , had called to discuss future challenges in foreign policy and possibilities.

During The Meeting , then defence Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind , the need that Russia is "a normal member of our Western family", or risk the return to authoritarianism. stressed

The Prime Minister said, the biggest threat from Russia , "as a source of trouble" through arms deals with the poorer countries.

Sir John Major and Boris Yeltsin in 1992

But the idea of Russia to be pushed in any way with Nato on resistance, with the former Chancellor Ken Clarke expressed "caution" about the expansion of The Alliance .

A minute of The Meeting : "At the extreme, some were only to consider, including Russia in Nato . That was a Farce and should not be on our agenda. "

Nato has grown enormously in the last 25 years, and admits A Number of countries with common borders with Russia , such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as several former Warsaw Pact countries, including Romania, Bulgaria and Albania.

critics argue that the opportunity was missed, in order to permanently reshape relations with Russia during the Yeltsin era and in the early years of Vladimir Putin 's rule, before he pursued a more antagonistic relationship with The West .

The newly released documents also reveal how the Prime Minister used a literary flowering in summary, the British position in The World , as he saw it at the time, describes the country as "too much of a team player. "

with reference to the PM's comments, the add minutes: "We did not pursue our self-interest with The Ruthless determination of the United States and France. We had rather play Sancho Panza to the Don Quixote . "

The reference was to the Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes, where Sancho Panza is a simple farmer who faithfully follows the land noble Don Quixote .

nato, john major

Source of news: bbc.com