DATE=3/11/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42822  
TITLE=NATO / NEW MEMBERS
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS, NATO IS EXPANDING ITS 
MEMBERSHIP, THIS TIME TO THREE FORMER MEMBERS OF THE SOVIET-LED 
WARSAW PACT.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN IN BRUSSELS 
REPORTS ON HOW THE CHANGE AFFECTS THE NATO ALLIANCE AND WHAT THE 
PROSPECTS ARE FOR FUTURE ENLARGEMENT.

TEXT:  THE CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE AT NATO HEADQUARTERS ON 
TUESDAY MORNING (MARCH 16TH).  THE WHITE AND RED FLAG OF POLAND, 
THE GREEN, RED, AND WHITE HUNGARIAN FLAG, AND THE RED WHITE, AND 
BLUE BANNER OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC WILL BE RAISED TO FLY ALONGSIDE
THE FLAGS OF NATO'S EXISTING 16 MEMBERS .

THE MOVE TO 19 NATIONS IS THE FIRST EXPANSION OF THE WESTERN 
MILITARY ALLIANCE SINCE SPAIN JOINED NATO IN 1982.  

POLAND, HUNGARY, AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC WERE, UNTIL 1990, MEMBERS
OF THE SOVIET-LED WARSAW PACT.  THEIR MILITARY EQUIPMENT WAS 
COUNTED AGAINST NATO'S WHEN THE TWO ALLIANCES AGREED TO MAKE 
CONVENTIONAL ARMS REDUCTIONS IN THAT YEAR. 

WITH THE CHANGES IN EASTERN EUROPE, THE THREE COUNTRIES IN 1994 
JOINED NATO'S PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE, A COOPERATION PROGRAM THAT 
INCLUDED ALL PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS FROM FORMERLY COMMUNIST 
COUNTRIES. 

JOURNALIST FREDERICK BONNART RECALLS THAT NATO ENLARGEMENT MET 
INITIAL RESISTANCE.

                      ///  BONNART ACT  ///

         THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION TO FURTHER EXPANSION 
         OF NATO FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS WHICH WERE QUITE VALID 
         AT THE TIME, PARTLY TO DO WITH THE SITUATION WITH 
         RUSSIA, PARTLY TO DO ALSO WITH THE CORE STRENGTH OF NATO
         BECAUSE BY CONTINUING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS 
         QUITE A NUMBER OF COMMENTATORS, INCLUDING MYSELF, 
         CONSIDERED THAT ONE WAS INVITING A WEAKNESS, A WEAKENING
         OF THE ORGANIZATION.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

TO SOFTEN RUSSIAN OPPOSITION TO NATO'S EXPANSION INTO CENTRAL 
EUROPE, NATO PLEDGED THAT IT SEES  NO  NEED NOR HAS ANY  
INTENTION TO STATION NUCLEAR WEAPONS ON THE TERRITORY OF ANY NEW 
MEMBER.

MR. BONNART HAS REPORTED ON NATO SINCE IT MOVED TO BRUSSELS IN 
THE 1960'S.  HE SAYS HE BELIEVES THE ADDITION OF THE THREE 
COUNTRIES WILL  NOT  AFFECT NATO'S BASIC MISSION.

                      ///  BONNART ACT  ///

         THE MAIN PURPOSE REMAINS WHAT IS CALLED THE CORE PURPOSE
         WHICH IS THE DEFENSE AND INTEGRITY OF THE MEMBER 
         COUNTRIES OF WHICH THERE ARE NOW THREE MORE, BUT THAT 
         ALTHOUGH IT IS THE UNDERLYING CORE PURPOSE, IT IS OF 
         SECONDARY IMPORTANCE BECAUSE THERE IS  NO  THREAT TO ANY
         OF THEM INCLUDING THE THREE NEW ONES .

                        ///  END ACT  ///

THE CHAIRMAN OF NATO'S MILITARY COMMITTEE, GENERAL KLAUS NAUMANN,
SAYS THE NEW MEMBERS  CANNOT  BE EXPECTED TO BE READY TO OPERATE 
FULLY WITH THE EXISTING MEMBERS AS SOON AS THEY JOIN.

                      ///  NAUMANN ACT  ///

         THIS IS A PROCESS WHICH WILL GO ON FOR A COUPLE OF 
         MONTHS IF  NOT  YEARS. WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET IT TOOK 
         ALL THE ALLIANCE NATIONS ALSO QUITE A TIME TO GET USED 
         TO AN INTEGRATED COMMAND STRUCTURE AND TO THE 
         PECULIARITIES OF INTERGRATED MILITARY FORCES WHICH AS I 
         FAR AS I KNOW IS A FIRST TIME EVENT CREATED BY NATO.  I 
         AM  NOT  AWARE OF ANY COALITION BEFORE THAT HAS CREATED 
         A PEACE TIME STANDING INTEGRATED MILITARY STRUCTURE.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

HE SAYS ALL THREE COUNTRIES HAVE FULFILLED THEIR COMMITMENTS TO 
INCREASE DEFENSE SPENDING DESPITE THEIR  OTHER PRESSING ECONOMIC 
NEEDS.  

GENERAL NAUMANN -- WHO IS GERMAN -- SAYS THE ADVANTAGE OF NATO 
MEMBERSHIP FOR POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC IS THE 
ALLIANCE'S RESTRAINT ON NATIONALISM.

                      ///  NAUMANN ACT  ///

         YOUNG OFFICERS LEARN HERE THAT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO 
         FIND THE COMMON DENOMINATOR OF 19 DEMOCRATIC NATIONS 
         THAN TO PURSUE NARROWLY DEFINED NATIONAL INTERESTS.  AND
         THIS IS A FACTOR OF INTEGRATION WHICH COULD HELP US 
         EUROPEANS IN PARTICULAR TO OVERCOME MANY LEGACIES OF THE
         PAST.

                       ///  END ACT  /// 

THE ENTRY OF POLAND, HUNGARY, AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO NATO HAS 
ENCOURAGED SLOVENIA, ROMANIA, AND THE BALTIC COUNTRIES TO HOPE 
THEY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ROUND OF NATO EXPANSION.  MR. 
BONNART FEELS THE NATO SUMMIT MEETING NEXT MONTH IN WASHINGTON TO
CELEBRATE THE ALLIANCE'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY WILL BE TOO SOON TO 
OPEN NATO'S DOOR AGAIN.

                      ///  BONNART ACT  ///

         THERE IS MUCH TALK INSIDE NATO NOW ABOUT CONSOLIDATION, 
         IN OTHER WORDS TO ABSORB THESE THREE COUNTRIES TO MAKE 
         CERTAIN THAT THIS IS GOING TO WORK, WELL, TO SHOW THAT 
         IT WILL WORK AND TO SHOW THEM HOW IT WILL WORK AND THAT 
         WILL TAKE QUITE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.  SO I DO 
         NOT  EXPECT A FURTHER INVITATION TO ENLARGEMENT TO ANY 
         OTHER COUNTRY TO BECOME A MEMBER OR EVEN TO PREPARE 
         IMMEDIATELY FOR MEMBERSHIP.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

INSTEAD, NATO WILL BE TRYING AT THE WASHINGTON SUMMIT TO DEVISE A
NEW FORMULA TO HELP PREPARE PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS SO THEIR FLAGS 
TOO MAY SOMEDAY FLY AT NATO HEADQUARTERS.  (SIGNED)


NEB/RDP/JWH

11-Mar-99 8:44 AM EST (1344 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.