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NATO
NATO Expansion 'Paused'
25 April 1999
"With regard to aspiring members, we recognise with great
interest and take account of the positive developments towards
democracy and the rule of law in a number of southeastern
European countries, especially Romania and Slovenia".
- NATO Summit. Madrid Declaration, 8 July 1997
"Today we recognise and welcome the continuing efforts and
progress in both Romania and Slovenia".
- NATO Summit, Washington Communique, 24 April 1999
NATO leaders decided to pause expansion for the foreseeable
future. Instead, they issued a Membership Action Plan (MAP)
which is "designed to reinforce that firm commitment to further
enlargement". However the MAP provides no timeframe for NATO
membership nor a guarantee for eventual membership for Eastern
Europeans.
A Romanian official speaking to BASIC on the condition of
anonymity recently stressed that although his country did
not expect to be invited to start accession negotiations at
the Washington Summit, it would, at the very least, seek "a
firm timeframe" for eventual membership. Romania's Western
orientation and democratic reform "would be compromised if
the Alliance rejects us for a second time", the official said.
"This provides a reality check on these nations' idea that
NATO is their Father Christmas. The EU stability plan provides
a less glamorous but more profitable source of security",
said Daniel Plesch, Director of BASIC. Last week, despite
strong internal opposition, Romania and Bulgaria offered the
unrestricted use of their airspace to NATO aircraft for bombing
missions against Yugoslavia. "NATO depends on the cooperation
of those states in its war against Milosevic. Rejecting them
at this stage is short-sighted at least", said Plesch.
The MAP consists of a programme of activities designed "to
assist aspiring countries in their preparations for possible
future membership" [emphasis added]. These include commitments
to strengthen democracy, human rights, the democratic control
of the armed forces, and programmes to improve interoperability
in defence planning and military equipment with NATO states.
The MAP also includes plans to allow the Eastern States to
undertake peace enforcement operations through PfP perhaps
in situations where Western nations are reluctant to take
casualties, Eastern nations will be asked to prove themselves.
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