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Bush Asks Senate to Approve Seven New NATO Members

(April 10: submits protocols of accession to Senate for its "advice
and consent") (460)
President Bush April 10 asked the U.S. Senate to approve the accession
of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and
Slovenia to NATO.
The protocols of accession were opened for signature in Brussels on
March 26, 2003, and signed that day on behalf of the United States and
the other parties to the North Atlantic Treaty. They must be approved
by the legislatures of each member country.
In a message accompanying the protocols, Bush told the Senate that he
is pleased "these new democracies can soon join us as members of this
great Alliance."
Following is his message to the Senate:
(begin text)
The White House
Message to the Senate of the United States 
April 10, 2003 
TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES: 
I transmit herewith Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on
the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovakia, and Slovenia. These protocols were opened for signature at
Brussels on March 26, 2003, and signed that day on behalf of the
United States and the other parties to the North Atlantic Treaty. I
request the advice and consent of the Senate to the ratification of
these documents. I also transmit for the information of the Senate a
report submitted to me by the Secretary of State regarding this
matter.
The end of communism and the consolidation of freedom and democracy in
Central and Eastern Europe have been among the great developments of
human history. NATO played a vital role in defending freedom and
promoting this peaceful change for over 50 years. I am pleased that,
with the advice and consent of the Senate, these new democracies can
soon join us as members of this great Alliance.
As the threats to the Alliance have changed, NATO itself has adapted
to face them. At the Prague Summit in November 2002, I joined the
leaders of NATO not only in inviting these nations to join us as
members, but also in calling for a transformation of NATO's military
capabilities and structures to meet the threats of the 21st century.
NATO is proceeding with that agenda. Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia are already making real
contributions to the common security of the NATO Allies, including the
United States, and I am firmly convinced that their full membership in
NATO will strengthen our Alliance further.
I ask the Senate to join me in advancing the cause of freedom and
strengthening NATO by providing its prompt advice and consent to these
Protocols of Accession. My Administration stands ready to assist you
as best we can in your deliberations.
GEORGE W. BUSH
The White House
April 10, 2003.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)