Congressional Documents
13 November 1997
November 10, 1997 Dear Colleague: The Committee on Foreign Relations held five hearings in October and November on various aspects of NATO enlargement -- the strategic rationale; arguments for and against enlargement; cost, benefits, burdensharing, and military implications of enlargement; the emerging NATO-Russia relationship; and public views on enlargement. As a result, we are more convinced than ever that the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to include Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary is the correct policy for the United States to pursue. As Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stated on October 7 before our committee, "larger NATO will make America safer, NATO stronger, and Europe more peaceful and united." (This conclusion was echoed by other eminent witnesses.) It is interesting that many of the most important principles upon which NATO enlargement is based were virtually uncontested in the hearings: -- Europe is a vital U.S. security interest. -- NATO is effective and essential to U.S. Security efforts. -- There is a need for continued U.S. engagement in Europe. -- Article 5 should continue as the heart of NATO's security commitment. In our committee hearings, the vitally important issues of cost and NATO's relations with Russia were examined in great detail. We are persuaded that the overwhelming weight of testimony on these points reinforces the argument for NATO enlargement. Specifically, we view the likely costs of enlargement to be relatively small for the U.S. and affordable for new and current European allies. We also conclude that the NATO allies and the U.S. have agreed that the costs must be equitably shared, with the U.S. paying only about one-quarter of NATO's common funded costs. Moreover, the Administration testified that the costs funded out of NATO's common-funded budgets are likely to be less than the Pentagon estimated in February because the military infrastructure in the three states is in better condition than previously assumed. Finally, the hearings helped to ease concerns on various points related to relations with Russia. A basis for common understanding has been established between the Committee and the Administration by which the new NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council will have no undue influence or veto over NATO's supreme decision making body, the North Atlantic Council. Testimony from Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering and others also helped establish the fact that as NATO enlargement is proceeding, Russian domestic reform and Russian cooperation on key security issues such as arms control continue to make progress. A strong majority of the public witnesses who testified in the committee's hearing last week made clear their approval of NATO enlargement, mirroring the results of a recent national opinion survey that showed overwhelming support among the American public as a whole. (Please contact the Foreign Relations Committee should you desire copies of testimony or supporting materials from any of the hearings.) We believe that NATO enlargement, arguably the most important foreign policy initiative for our country in many years, is an issue that transcends partisan politics. Both of us are firmly convinced that enlargement is squarely in the American national interest and we anticipate that the Senate debate before the ratification vote early next year will validate our conclusion. Sincerely, Jesse Helms Chairman Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Ranking Minority Member (End text)