PRESS RELEASE

20 May 1997

New Study Shows NATO Retains Cold War Strategy, Recommends Modernisation

NATO's present strategy agreed in 1991 is obsolete. For example NATO states that: "In the particular case of the Soviet Union ... its conventional forces are significantly larger than those of any other European state." NATO's strategy needs to reflect the enormous improvement in security since 1991. In the Founding Act document agreed between NATO and Russia on May 14, NATO decided to re-examine its strategy. Page 2 of the 16-page document reads: "NATO members have decided to examine NATO's Strategic Concept to ensure that is fully consistent with Europe's new security situation and challenges". In detailed recommendations, BASIC proposes that the Alliance make the recent changes irreversible through an aggressive arms control strategy aimed at ultimate elimination of weapons of mass destruction, and further dramatic reductions in conventional arms.

NATO should also engage in intense programs to ensure that its military formations are trained in the values that the Alliance holds dear as it engages more and more countries.

"NATO is now doing less arms control than during the Cold War even though Europe still contains far more arms than existed at the outbreak of the Second World War," said Daniel Plesch Director of BASIC. Admiral Sir James Eberle, former Commander-in-Chief UK fleet and Allied Commander-in-Chief NATO Channel Command, said:

"This BASIC document provides valuable ideas as to how the 1991 NATO Alliance's Strategic Concept might be revised to meet the new challenges to European security."

A New Strategic Concept for NATO, BASIC Paper #20, 20 May 1997, by Tasos Kokkinides, Alistair Millar, and Daniel Plesch, with the assistance of Kirsten Ruecke.

Copies of NATO's Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security Between NATO and the Russian Federation, the official agreement between NATO and Russia, are available from BASIC upon request.

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