Tribune Excerpts

The following article appeared in the November 2006 Edition of the Macedonian Tribune

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Senate considers bill to enlarge NATO...cont. from Page 1
 

The bill was written to endorse further enlargement of NATO and to facilitate the timely admission of Albania, Croatia, Georgia and Macedonia to NATO. The findings included the following:

1) The sustained commitment of NATO to mutual defense has made possible the democratic transformation of Central and Eastern Europe. Members of NATO can and should play a critical role in addressing the security challenges of the post-Cold War era in creating the stable environment needed for those emerging democracies.

2) Lasting stability and security in Europe requires the military, economic and political integration of emerging democracies into existing European structures.

3) In an era of threats from terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, NATO increasingly is contributing to security in the face of global security challenges for the protection and interests of its member states.

4) In the NATO Participation Act of 1994 …, Congress declared, “full and active participants in the Partnership for Peace should be invited to become full NATO members in accordance with Article 10 of such treaty …”.

10) In May 2000 in Vilnius, Lithuania, the foreign ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia issued a statement declaring that – (A) their countries will cooperate in jointly seeking membership in NATO in the next round of enlargement. (B) the realization of membership in NATO by one or more of these countries would be a success for all; (C) eventual membership in NATO for all these countries would be a success.

11) In 2001, President George W. Bush stated, “…I believe in NATO membership for all of Europe’s democracies that seek it and are ready to share the responsibilities.”

12) In 1996, former President William J. Clinton stated, “NATO’s door will not close behind its first new members…NATO should remain open to all of Europe’s emerging democracies…a gray zone of insecurity must not re-emerge in Europe.”

15) At the Istanbul Summit of NATO in June 2004, NATO heads of state issued a communiqué reaffirming that NATO’s door remains open to new members….

See "Lugar/Frist Comment"