Military

Prospective New Members Preparing for NATO Membership

Each of the six countries has also engaged in NATO's "intensified" dialogues on the possibility of joining NATO and reviewed NATO's 1995 study concerning NATO's expectations of potential new members. Each then prepared detailed responses addressing its status and plans concerning topics raised in the NATO study -- such as democratic control over armed forces, restructuring of armed forces, interoperability with NATO, ability to pay for defense expenses, and relations with neighboring states. Examples of actions taken to address NATO expectations include Poland's efforts to increase civilian control over its military and a Hungarian-Romanian accord to resolve issues concerning Hungarian minorities in Romania.

All six of these countries have also demonstrated their interest in NATO by volunteering units to support the NATO-led peace operation effort in Bosnia.¹¹ NATO officials informed us that the Bosnia mission has greatly promoted the interoperability of these nations' units with those of NATO members.

All six nations have also streamlined portions of their Soviet-era force structures. For example, according to U.S. officials, Poland has cut its military manpower in half since the end of the Cold War and is seeking to develop more mobile units for possible use by NATO. The other five nations have also reduced much of their force structures.