October 22, 1996 (September 11) Rat, the first time the United States announced that NATO's eastward expansion timetable.

1996 10 22, U.S. President Bill Clinton campaigning in the city of Detroit, said in a speech in 1999, NATO should accept the first batch of Eastern European countries as new members. This is a specific timetable for U.S. leaders for the first time publicly and explicitly declared that NATO's eastward expansion.
well known that NATO's eastward expansion is the established policy of the United States and its European allies, but because of the different views of the resolute opposition of Russia and NATO within the specific time to do high-level U.S. government has not accepted new members made it clear. The Brooklyn Pour said in a speech in the 22nd, the first batch of Eastern European countries should become a full member of NATO in 1999. Although Clinton did not specify which Eastern European countries will be the first batch of members, but U.S. government officials said that Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the United States believes that should be the first group of countries to join NATO. In accordance with the relevant regulations, the decision to admit new members is subject to all the members of NATO agreed to make, but public opinion here is estimated, chief position in view of the United States, Washington claims will get the support of other NATO member states.
for Russia is firmly opposed to the eastward expansion of NATO's position, Clinton said in a speech delivered in Detroit have no veto power in any country outside NATO admission of new members to NATO regarding. He also claimed that NATO will establish different levels of exchange relations with Russia, NATO's eastward expansion will help the stability of Europe, Russia will be the beneficiaries. (L $ dj��.��r��)
here the press pointed out that diplomatic issues are not the main topic of the U.S. presidential debate, Clinton chose from the general election polling day only two weeks to announce a timetable for the admission of new members in NATO, although not foreign policy factors, but mostly out of the political considerations of the general election, in order to fight for a large number of Eastern European descent voters' ballots.