The launching of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) in April 1999 has helped the countries aspiring to NATO membership to increasingly focus their preparations on meeting the goals and priorities set out in the Plan.

The implementation of the MAP has also ceased to be a matter concerning only ministries of foreign affairs and defense. With the establishment of inter-ministerial meetings at the national level, fulfilling the objectives of the Plan is increasingly engaging other government departments in a coordinated and systematic effort.

At the NATO Summit in Washington in April 1999, Allied leaders promised that the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland would not be the last new countries to join NATO and stated that the enlargement process would be reviewed in 2002.

At the Washington Summit they also launched the Membership Action Plan. The nine countries that have declared an interest in joining NATO and are participating in the MAP are Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. ¹

The MAP gives substance to NATO's commitment to keep its door open. However, participation in the MAP does not guarantee future membership, nor does the Plan consist simply of a checklist for aspiring countries to fulfil. Decisions to invite aspirants to start accession talks will be taken within NATO by consensus and on a case-by-case basis.

The MAP provides for concrete feedback and advice from NATO to aspiring countries on their own preparations directed at achieving future membership. It provides for a range of activities designed to strengthen each aspirant country's candidacy. The MAP does not replace the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. The aspirants' participation in PfP and its Planning and Review Process (PARP) has been tailored to their needs. Full participation in PfP/PARP is essential because it allows aspirant countries to develop interoperability with NATO forces and to prepare their force structures and capabilities for possible future membership.

Like PfP, the MAP is guided by the principle of self-differentiation: aspirant countries are free to choose the elements of the MAP best suited to their own national priorities and circumstances. All aspirants have submitted an Annual National program on preparations for possible membership, covering political and economic, defense/military, resource, security and legal issues. They set their own objectives, targets and work schedules. These programs are expected to be updated each year by aspirants countries but can be amended at any time.

NATO is following the progress made by each aspirant and providing political and technical advice. Meetings of the North Atlantic Council with each of the aspirants are taking place during the Spring to discuss progress. Throughout the year, meetings and workshops with NATO civilian and military experts in various fields allow for discussion of the entire spectrum of issues relevant to membership. An annual consolidated progress report on activities under the MAP will be presented to NATO foreign and defense ministers at their regular Spring meetings each year.

Aspirant countries are expected to achieve certain goals in the political and economic fields. These include settling any international, ethnic or external territorial disputes by peaceful means; demonstrating a commitment to the rule of law and human rights; establishing democratic control of their armed forces; and promoting stability and well-being through economic liberty, social justice and environmental responsibility.

defense and military issues focus on the ability of the country to contribute to collective defense and to the Alliance's new missions. Full participation in PfP is an essential component. Through their individual PfP programs, aspirants can focus on essential membership related issues. Partnership Goals for aspirants include planning targets which are covering those areas which are most directly relevant for nations aspiring NATO membership.

Resource issues focus on the need for any aspirant country to commit sufficient resources to defense to allow them to meet the commitments that future membership would bring in terms of collective NATO undertakings.

Security issues centre on the need for aspirant countries to make sure that procedures are in place to ensure the security of sensitive information.

Legal aspects address the need for aspirants to ensure that legal arrangements and agreements which govern cooperation within NATO are compatible with domestic legislation.

NATO's open door policy is enshrined in the North Atlantic Treaty: "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. (....)"Article 10, The North Atlantic Treaty, Washington DC, 4 April 1949.

NATO has admitted new members throughout its history. Greece and Turkey joined in 1952, the Federal Republic of Germany in 1955 and Spain in 1982.

In the early nineties, it was evident that the division of the European continent would persist unless Central and Eastern European countries were offered the prospect of joining institutions, such as the European Union and NATO, dedicated to the common pursuit of shared values and goals, freedom and democracy, economic prosperity, political stability and security.

At the 1994 Brussels Summit, NATO leaders stated that they "expect and would welcome NATO expansion that would reach to democratic states to our East." The aim of this enlargement process is to extend to other European countries the zone of security and stability that the Alliance has helped build up on its members' territory in the 50 years of its existence. The process poses no threat to any country. In fact, it will increase stability and security for non-NATO members and member countries alike.

In addition to political commitments, membership of NATO involves responsibilities and obligations in the military field. The enlargement process is structured to enable possible future members to familiarise themselves with the workings of the Alliance and with the responsibilities and obligations stemming from membership and to adapt their forces accordingly. Following this approach, which was set out in the 1995 Study on NATO Enlargement, intensified dialogues on membership questions were held with interested partners between 1995 and 1998.

At the 1997 Madrid Summit, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were invited to start accession talks. Allied leaders simultaneously reaffirmed the openness of the Alliance to other countries and agreed to continue and broaden the intensified dialogue meetings with interested Partner countries .

The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland formally acceded to the Washington Treaty on 12 March 1999, increasing the number of NATO member countries to nineteen. The Membership Action Plan, launched at the 1999 Washington Summit, builds on the experience gained during the intensified dialogue process and the integration into the Alliance of the three newest members.

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1. Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name. (Return to text)

Souce: Official NATO Website at http://www.nato.int/.