21 November 2002
NATO Heads Approve New Members, New Capabilities
(Declaration is issued at November 21 Prague summit session) (3610)
Leaders of the NATO nations have cited acceptance of seven new members
into the alliance and commitments to new military capabilities and to
new relationships with partners outside NATO as accomplishments of
their summit meeting in Prague.
Heads of state and government of the 19 existing NATO nations outlined
the meeting's achievements in a declaration issued November 21.
The declaration took note of the summit decision to invite Bulgaria,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to begin
accession talks to join the alliance.
And it had encouraging words for three other would-be members. Albania
and Macedonia have made significant progress in key areas of reform
and support for the alliance, it said, and "remain under consideration
for future membership." It said Croatia is also under consideration,
with progress depending, in part, on compliance with that country's
obligations to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia.
The declaration cited plans for creation of a "deployable,
interoperable and sustainable" NATO Response Force, to be fully
operational by October 2006, and for streamlining the alliance's
military command arrangements.
Steps toward developing "balanced and effective capabilities" will
prepare the alliance to meet new challenges, including "the threat
posed by terrorism and by the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and their means of delivery," the declaration said.
The leaders said that their efforts to transform NATO "should not be
perceived as a threat by any country or organization, but rather as a
demonstration of our determination to protect our populations,
territory and forces."
The NATO nations went on record as "determined to intensify and
broaden our cooperation with Russia" and "committed to strong
NATO-Ukraine relations" -- the latter dependent on demonstration of
"an unequivocal Ukrainian commitment to the values of the
Euro-Atlantic community."
Following is the text of the Prague Summit Declaration:
(begin text)
Communiqué (2002) 127: Prague Summit Declaration
Issued by the Heads of State and Government
Participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council
Prague NATO Summit
21 November 2002
1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the member countries of
the North Atlantic Alliance, met today to enlarge our Alliance and
further strengthen NATO to meet the grave new threats and profound
security challenges of the 21st century. Bound by our common vision
embodied in the Washington Treaty, we commit ourselves to transforming
NATO with new members, new capabilities and new relationships with our
partners. We are steadfast in our commitment to the transatlantic
link; to NATO's fundamental security tasks including collective
defence; to our shared democratic values; and to the United Nations
Charter.
2. Today, we have decided to invite Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to begin accession talks to
join our Alliance. We congratulate them on this historic occasion,
which so fittingly takes place in Prague. The accession of these new
members will strengthen security for all in the Euro-Atlantic area,
and help achieve our common goal of a Europe whole and free, united in
peace and by common values. NATO's door will remain open to European
democracies willing and able to assume the responsibilities and
obligations of membership, in accordance with Article 10 of the
Washington Treaty.
3. Recalling the tragic events of 11 September 2001 and our subsequent
decision to invoke Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, we have
approved a comprehensive package of measures, based on NATO's
Strategic Concept, to strengthen our ability to meet the challenges to
the security of our forces, populations and territory, from wherever
they may come. Today's decisions will provide for balanced and
effective capabilities within the Alliance so that NATO can better
carry out the full range of its missions and respond collectively to
those challenges, including the threat posed by terrorism and by the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of
delivery.
4. We underscore that our efforts to transform and adapt NATO should
not be perceived as a threat by any country or organisation, but
rather as a demonstration of our determination to protect our
populations, territory and forces from any armed attack, including
terrorist attack, directed from abroad. We are determined to deter,
disrupt, defend and protect against any attacks on us, in accordance
with the Washington Treaty and the Charter of the United Nations. In
order to carry out the full range of its missions, NATO must be able
to field forces that can move quickly to wherever they are needed,
upon decision by the North Atlantic Council, to sustain operations
over distance and time, including in an environment where they might
be faced with nuclear, biological and chemical threats, and to achieve
their objectives. Effective military forces, an essential part of our
overall political strategy, are vital to safeguard the freedom and
security of our populations and to contribute to peace and security in
the Euro-Atlantic region. We have therefore decided to:
a. Create a NATO Response Force (NRF) consisting of a technologically
advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable force
including land, sea, and air elements ready to move quickly to
wherever needed, as decided by the Council. The NRF will also be a
catalyst for focusing and promoting improvements in the Alliance's
military capabilities. We gave directions for the development of a
comprehensive concept for such a force, which will have its initial
operational capability as soon as possible, but not later than October
2004 and its full operational capability not later than October 2006,
and for a report to Defence Ministers in Spring 2003. The NRF and the
related work of the EU Headline Goal should be mutually reinforcing
while respecting the autonomy of both organisations.
b. Streamline NATO's military command arrangements. We have approved
the Defence Ministers' report providing the outline of a leaner, more
efficient, effective and deployable command structure, with a view to
meeting the operational requirements for the full range of Alliance
missions. It is based on the agreed Minimum Military Requirements
document for the Alliance's command arrangements. The structure will
enhance the transatlantic link, result in a significant reduction in
headquarters and Combined Air Operations Centres, and promote the
transformation of our military capabilities. There will be two
strategic commands, one operational, and one functional. The strategic
command for Operations, headquartered in Europe (Belgium), will be
supported by two Joint Force Commands able to generate a land-based
Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) headquarters and a robust but more
limited standing joint headquarters from which a sea-based CJTF
headquarters capability can be drawn. There will also be land, sea and
air components. The strategic command for Transformation,
headquartered in the United States, and with a presence in Europe,
will be responsible for the continuing transformation of military
capabilities and for the promotion of interoperability of Alliance
forces, in cooperation with the Allied Command Operations as
appropriate. We have instructed the Council and Defence Planning
Committee, taking into account the work of the NATO Military
Authorities and objective military criteria, to finalise the details
of the structure, including geographic locations of command structure
headquarters and other elements, so that final decisions are taken by
Defence Ministers in June 2003.
c. Approve the Prague Capabilities Commitment (PCC) as part of the
continuing Alliance effort to improve and develop new military
capabilities for modern warfare in a high threat environment.
Individual Allies have made firm and specific political commitments to
improve their capabilities in the areas of chemical, biological,
radiological, and nuclear defence; intelligence, surveillance, and
target acquisition; air-to-ground surveillance; command, control and
communications; combat effectiveness, including precision guided
munitions and suppression of enemy air defences; strategic air and sea
lift; air-to-air refuelling; and deployable combat support and combat
service support units. Our efforts to improve capabilities through the
PCC and those of the European Union to enhance European capabilities
through the European Capabilities Action Plan should be mutually
reinforcing, while respecting the autonomy of both organisations, and
in a spirit of openness.
We will implement all aspects of our Prague Capabilities Commitment as
quickly as possible. We will take the necessary steps to improve
capabilities in the identified areas of continuing capability
shortfalls. Such steps could include multinational efforts, role
specialisation and reprioritisation, noting that in many cases
additional financial resources will be required, subject as
appropriate to parliamentary approval. We are committed to pursuing
vigorously capability improvements. We have directed the Council in
Permanent Session to report on implementation to Defence Ministers.
d. Endorse the agreed military concept for defence against terrorism.
The concept is part of a package of measures to strengthen NATO's
capabilities in this area, which also includes improved intelligence
sharing and crisis response arrangements.
Terrorism, which we categorically reject and condemn in all its forms
and manifestations, poses a grave and growing threat to Alliance
populations, forces and territory, as well as to international
security. We are determined to combat this scourge for as long as
necessary. To combat terrorism effectively, our response must be
multi-faceted and comprehensive.
We are committed, in cooperation with our partners, to fully implement
the Civil Emergency Planning (CEP) Action Plan for the improvement of
civil preparedness against possible attacks against the civilian
population with chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) agents. We
will enhance our ability to provide support, when requested, to help
national authorities to deal with the consequences of terrorist
attacks, including attacks with CBRN against critical infrastructure,
as foreseen in the CEP Action Plan.
e. Endorse the implementation of five nuclear, biological and chemical
weapons defence initiatives, which will enhance the Alliance's defence
capabilities against weapons of mass destruction: a Prototype
Deployable NBC Analytical Laboratory; a Prototype NBC Event Response
team; a virtual Centre of Excellence for NBC Weapons Defence; a NATO
Biological and Chemical Defence Stockpile; and a Disease Surveillance
system. We reaffirm our commitment to augment and improve
expeditiously our NBC defence capabilities.
f. Strengthen our capabilities to defend against cyber attacks.
g. Examine options for addressing the increasing missile threat to
Alliance territory, forces and population centres in an effective and
efficient way through an appropriate mix of political and defence
efforts, along with deterrence. Today we initiated a new NATO Missile
Defence feasibility study to examine options for protecting Alliance
territory, forces and population centres against the full range of
missile threats, which we will continue to assess. Our efforts in this
regard will be consistent with the indivisibility of Allied security.
We support the enhancement of the role of the WMD Centre within the
International Staff to assist the work of the Alliance in tackling
this threat.
We reaffirm that disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation make
an essential contribution to preventing the spread and use of WMD and
their means of delivery. We stress the importance of abiding by and
strengthening existing multilateral non-proliferation and export
control regimes and international arms control and disarmament
accords.
5. Admitting Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia
and Slovenia as new members will enhance NATO's ability to face the
challenges of today and tomorrow. They have demonstrated their
commitment to the basic principles and values set out in the
Washington Treaty, the ability to contribute to the Alliance's full
range of missions including collective defence, and a firm commitment
to contribute to stability and security, especially in regions of
crisis and conflict. We will begin accession talks immediately with
the aim of signing Accession Protocols by the end of March 2003 and
completing the ratification process in time for these countries to
join the Alliance at the latest at our Summit in May 2004. During the
period leading up to accession, the Alliance will involve the invited
countries in Alliance activities to the greatest extent possible. We
pledge our continued support and assistance, including through the
Membership Action Plan (MAP). We look forward to receiving the
invitees' timetables for reforms, upon which further progress will be
expected before and after accession in order to enhance their
contribution to the Alliance.
6. We commend Albania for its significant reform progress, its
constructive role in promoting regional stability, and strong support
for the Alliance. We commend the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia/1 for the significant progress it has achieved in its reform
process and for its strong support for Alliance operations, as well as
for the important steps it has made in overcoming its internal
challenges and advancing democracy, stability and ethnic
reconciliation. We will continue to help both countries, including
through the MAP, to achieve stability, security and prosperity, so
that they can meet the obligations of membership. In this context, we
have also agreed to improve our capacity to contribute to Albania's
continued reform, and to further assist defence and security sector
reform in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia through the NATO
presence. We encourage both countries to redouble their reform
efforts. They remain under consideration for future membership.
Croatia, which has made encouraging progress on reform, will also be
under consideration for future membership. Progress in this regard
will depend upon Croatia's further reform efforts and compliance with
all of its international obligations, including to the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
The Membership Action Plan will remain the vehicle to keep aspirants'
progress under review. Today's invitees will not be the last.
7. The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and the Partnership
for Peace (PfP) have greatly enhanced security and stability
throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. We have today decided to upgrade
our cooperation with the EAPC/PfP countries. Our political dialogue
will be strengthened, and Allies, in consultation with Partners, will,
to the maximum extent possible, increase involvement of Partners, as
appropriate, in the planning, conduct, and oversight of those
activities and projects in which they participate and to which they
contribute. We have introduced new practical mechanisms, such as
Individual Partnership Action Plans, which will ensure a
comprehensive, tailored and differentiated approach to the
Partnership, and which allow for support to the reform efforts of
Partners. We encourage Partners, including the countries of the
strategically important regions of the Caucasus and Central Asia, to
take advantage of these mechanisms. We welcome the resolve of Partners
to undertake all efforts to combat terrorism, including through the
Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism. We will also continue to
further enhance interoperability and defence-related activities, which
constitute the core of our partnership. Participation in the PfP and
the EAPC could be broadened in the future to include the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina once necessary
progress is achieved, including full cooperation with the ICTY.
8. We welcome the significant achievements of the NATO-Russia Council
since the historic NATO-Russia Summit meeting in Rome. We have
deepened our relationship to the benefit of all the peoples in the
Euro-Atlantic area. NATO member states and Russia are working together
in the NATO-Russia Council as equal partners, making progress in areas
such as peacekeeping, defence reform, WMD proliferation, search and
rescue, civil emergency planning, theatre missile defence and the
struggle against terrorism, towards our shared goal of a stable,
peaceful and undivided Europe. In accordance with the Founding Act and
the Rome Declaration, we are determined to intensify and broaden our
cooperation with Russia.
9. We remain committed to strong NATO-Ukraine relations under the
Charter on a Distinctive Partnership. We note Ukraine's determination
to pursue full Euro-Atlantic integration, and encourage Ukraine to
implement all the reforms necessary, including as regards enforcement
of export controls, to achieve this objective. The new Action Plan
that we are adopting with Ukraine is an important step forward; it
identifies political, economic, military and other reform areas where
Ukraine is committed to make further progress and where NATO will
continue to assist. Continued progress in deepening and enhancing our
relationship requires an unequivocal Ukrainian commitment to the
values of the Euro-Atlantic community.
10. We reaffirm that security in Europe is closely linked to security
and stability in the Mediterranean. We therefore decide to upgrade
substantially the political and practical dimensions of our
Mediterranean Dialogue as an integral part of the Alliance's
cooperative approach to security. In this respect, we encourage
intensified practical cooperation and effective interaction on
security matters of common concern, including terrorism-related
issues, as appropriate, where NATO can provide added value. We
reiterate that the Mediterranean Dialogue and other international
efforts, including the EU Barcelona process, are complementary and
mutually reinforcing.
11. NATO and the European Union share common strategic interests. We
remain strongly committed to the decisions made at the Washington
Summit and subsequent Ministerial meetings, in order to enhance
NATO-EU cooperation. The success of our cooperation has been evident
in our concerted efforts in the Balkans to restore peace and create
the conditions for prosperous and democratic societies. Events on and
since 11 September 2001 have underlined further the importance of
greater transparency and cooperation between our two organisations on
questions of common interest relating to security, defence, and crisis
management, so that crises can be met with the most appropriate
military response and effective crisis management ensured. We remain
committed to making the progress needed on all the various aspects of
our relationship, noting the need to find solutions satisfactory to
all Allies on the issue of participation by non-EU European Allies, in
order to achieve a genuine strategic partnership.
12. To further promote peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic Area,
NATO will continue to develop its fruitful and close cooperation with
the OSCE, namely in the complementary areas of conflict prevention,
crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.
13. The Alliance has played a vital role in restoring a secure
environment in South-East Europe. We reaffirm our support for the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of all the countries in this
strategically important region. We will continue to work with our
partners in SFOR and KFOR, the United Nations, the European Union, the
OSCE and other international organisations, to help build a peaceful,
stable and democratic South-East Europe, where all countries assume
ownership of the process of reform, and are integrated in
Euro-Atlantic structures. We remain determined to see that goal become
reality. We expect the countries of the region: to continue to build
enduring multi-ethnic democracies, root out organised crime and
corruption and firmly establish the rule of law; to cooperate
regionally; and to comply fully with international obligations,
including by bringing to justice in The Hague all ICTY indictees. The
reform progress that these countries make will determine the pace of
their integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. We confirm our
continued presence in the region and we stand ready to assist these
countries in the region, through individual programmes of assistance,
to continue their progress. In the light of continuing progress and
analysis of the prevailing security and political environment, we will
explore options for a further rationalisation and force restructuring,
taking into account a regional approach. We welcome the successful
conclusion of Operation Amber Fox in the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia. We have agreed to maintain a NATO presence from 15 December
for a limited period to contribute to continuing stability, which we
will review in the light of the evolving situation. We note the EU's
expressed readiness to take over the military operation in the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia under appropriate conditions.
14. NATO member countries have responded to the call of the UN
Security Council to assist the Afghan government in restoring security
in Kabul and its surroundings. Their forces constitute the backbone of
the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. We
commend the United Kingdom and Turkey for their successive
contributions as ISAF lead nations, and welcome the willingness of
Germany and the Netherlands jointly to succeed them. NATO has agreed
to provide support in selected areas for the next ISAF lead nations,
showing our continued commitment. However, the responsibility for
providing security and law and order throughout Afghanistan resides
with the Afghans themselves.
15. We remain committed to the CFE Treaty and reaffirm our attachment
to the early entry into force of the Adapted Treaty. The CFE regime
provides a fundamental contribution to a more secure and integrated
Europe. We welcome the approach of those non-CFE countries, which have
stated their intention to request accession to the Adapted CFE Treaty
upon its entry into force. Their accession would provide an important
additional contribution to European stability and security. We welcome
the significant results of Russia's effort to reduce forces in the
Treaty's Article V area to agreed levels. We urge swift fulfilment of
the outstanding Istanbul commitments on Georgia and Moldova, which
will create the conditions for Allies and other States Parties to move
forward on ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty.
16. As NATO transforms, we have endorsed a package of measures to
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the headquarters
organisation. The NATO+ Initiative on human resources issues
complements this effort. We are committed to continuing to provide,
individually and collectively, the resources that are necessary to
allow our Alliance to perform the tasks that we demand of it.
17. We welcome the role of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in
complementing NATO's efforts to project stability throughout Europe.
We also appreciate the contribution made by the Atlantic Treaty
Association in promoting better understanding of the Alliance and its
objectives among our publics.
18. We express our deep appreciation for the gracious hospitality
extended to us by the Government of the Czech Republic.
19. Our Summit demonstrates that European and North American Allies,
already united by history and common values, will remain a community
determined and able to defend our territory, populations and forces
against all threats and challenges. For over fifty years, NATO has
defended peace, democracy and security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The
commitments we have undertaken here in Prague will ensure that the
Alliance continues to play that vital role into the future.
1/Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional
name.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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