90th The Alliance's Enlargement example essay topic

NATO has always been open for an inclusion of the new members. As article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty declares "The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to this Treaty". Thus, in 1952, Greece and Turkey joined the original twelve members of the Alliance, followed by Federal Republic of Germany in 1955 and in 1982 by Spain. Nevertheless, before 90th the Alliance's enlargement was just an option and took place in the particular cases serving mostly for the purpose of deterrence. During 90th NATO's enlargement became a strategy and there is a clear distinction between the Alliance's expansion before and after the Cold War. The enlargement has clearly become one of the means to the desired end of enhanced security and stability in Europe.

It is viewed now as one of the strongest tools for future European security. The purposes of NATO's post Cold War enlargement called as NATO's "open door policy" have gone far beyond the Alliance's traditional tasks and besides collective defence issues include: - Encouraging and supporting democratic reforms, including civilian and democratic control over the military; - Promoting good-neighborly relations, which would benefit all countries in the Euro-Atlantic area, both members and non-members of NATO; - Reinforcing the tendency toward integration and cooperation in Europe based on shared democratic values and thereby curbing the countervailing tendency towards disintegration along ethnic and territorial lines; - Strengthening the Alliance's ability to contribute to European and international security, including though peacekeeping activities under the responsibility of OSCE and peacekeeping operations under the authority of the UN Security Council as well as other new missions [3]. As a result of enlargement policy three new members of the Alliance - the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland took their place for the first time at the summit table in Washington. The Washington summit reaffirmed the strategy of enlargement and developed it farther by enforcing of the Membership Action Plan, which "is designed to assist those countries which wish to join the Alliance in their preparations by providing advice, assistance and practical support on all aspects of NATO membership" [1]. The strategy of enlargement is well defined in the Washington Summit Communique: "We reaffirm today our commitment to the openness of the Alliance under Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty and in accordance with Paragraph 8 of the Madrid Summit Declaration. We pledge that NATO will continue to welcome new members in a position to further the principles of the Treaty and contribute to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic area.

This is part of an evolutionary process that takes into account political and security developments in the whole of Europe. Our commitment to enlargement is part of a broader strategy of projecting stability and working together with our Partners to build a Europe whole and free. The ongoing enlargement process strengthens the Alliance and enhances the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic region. The three new members will not be the last" [4]. Thus, NATO's "open door" policy transforms enlargement from the option to clearly stated strategy, broadens its purposes from collective defence to the building of European security architecture and promoting confidence and cooperation in Europe and so, especially after endorsement of the Membership Action Plan, it becomes one of the main aims of partnership between the Alliance and its partners. Enlargement as a strategic goal of the Alliance and of its partnership with non-member states had to be properly reflected in the new Strategic Concept to serve as a directing guide and principle for NATO's practical policies.

So, the new Strategic Concept in its introduction points out, that the Alliance "must deepen its relations with its partners and prepare for the accession of new members."Enlargement" appears in the Strategic Concept as subtitle in Part - The Approach to Security in the 21st Century, where is clearly defined its strategic importance, purposes, and the way of its realization: "The Alliance remains open to new members under Article 10 of the Washington Treaty. It expects to extend further invitations in coming years to nations willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership, and as NATO determines that the inclusion of these nations would serve the overall political and strategic interests of the Alliance, strengthen its effectiveness and cohesion, and enhance overall European security and stability. To this end, NATO has established a programme of activities to assist aspiring countries in their preparations for possible future membership in the context of its wider relationship with them. No European democratic country whose admission would fulfil the objectives of the Treaty will be excluded from consideration.".