DATE=4/16/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5- 43154
TITLE=NATO SUMMIT ISSUES
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION --NATO--CELEBRATES
ITS FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY HERE IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK / MONTH 
(4/23-25).  AS WORLD LEADERS MEET TO MARK THE OCCASION, THEY ARE 
DISCUSSING DIFFICULT QUESTIONS ABOUT NATO'S FUTURE IN THE 
POST-COLD WAR ERA.  CAROL PINEAU TAKES A LOOK AT THE ISSUES.

TEXT:  THE QUESTIONS FACING NATO'S LEADERS ARE MANY AND VARIED.  
SHOULD MORE OF THE FORMER COMMUNIST EASTERN BLOC COUNTRIES BE 
BROUGHT INTO THE NATO ALLIANCE?  WHAT IS NATO'S STRATEGIC 
MISSION:  TERRITORIAL DEFENSE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNTRIES OR 
PEACE KEEPING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REGION?  DOES NATO ACTION 
REQUIRE A U-N SECURITY COUNCIL MANDATE?

HANS BINNENDIJK IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL 
STRATEGIC STUDIES AT THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY IN 
WASHINGTON.  HE SAYS THE EUROPEAN MILITARY HAS BEEN A MAJOR TOPIC
OF DISCUSSION LEADING UP TO THE SUMMIT.  HE SAYS THE UNITED 
STATES WANTS THE EUROPEANS TO BE MORE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN 
OPERATIONS AND TO ACQUIRE MORE SOPHISTICATED MILITARY HARDWARE, 
ESPECIALLY COMPUTERIZED WEAPONRY.  BUT THE EUROPEANS ARE 
RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE IN OPERATIONS OUTSIDE THE NATO ALLIANCE 
TERRITORY.

                     /// BINNENDIJK ACT ///

         THE UNITED STATES IS EAGER TO HAVE ITS ALLIES PICK UP A 
         LARGER BURDEN, NOT ONLY IN EUROPE, BUT ALSO POSSIBLY IN 
         PLACES AS FAR AWAY AS THE PERSIAN GULF.  THE EUROPEANS 
         HAVE COUNTERED WITH OBJECTIONS TO WHAT THEY CALL A 
         GLOBAL NATO.

                         /// END ACT ///

HE ALSO PREDICTED THE ALLIES WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF U-N 
MANDATES.

                     /// BINNENDIJK ACT ///

         I DON'T THINK NATO CAN GET ITSELF INTO A POSITION WHERE 
         IT REQUIRES A UNITED NATIONS MANDATE IN ORDER FOR IT TO 
         ACT BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT CHINA OR RUSSIA OR 
         BOTH HAVE A VETO OVER ANY NATO ACTION IN PLACES LIKE 
         KOSOVO.

                         /// END ACT ///

DAVID YOST, A PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR OF THE JUST-PUBLISHED BOOK, 
"NATO TRANSFORMED:  THE ALLIANCE'S NEW ROLES IN INTERNATIONAL 
SECURITY," SAYS THE ISSUE OF U-N MANDATES IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
HE NOTES NATO'S BOMBING IN KOSOVO WAS UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT U-N 
ENDORSEMENT.  THE MISSION ANTAGONIZED RUSSIA AND OTHER NATIONS 
OPPOSED TO THE OPERATION.

MR. YOST ADDS IF NATO IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, THERE COULD BE 
RECRIMINATIONS WITHIN THE ALLIANCE.  NATO MEMBERS MAY SAY THE 
ALLIANCE SHOULD HAVE SOUGHT A MANDATE FROM THE U-N SECURITY 
COUNCIL IN ORDER TO HAVE A GREATER LEGITIMACY AND POLITICAL 
COVER.  HE SAYS THERE IS ALSO A LONG-TERM RISK.

                        /// YOST ACT ///

         NATO IN USING FORCE AGAINST A SOVEREIGN STATE WITHOUT A 
         U-N SECURITY COUNCIL MANDATE IS SETTING AN EXAMPLE THAT 
         COULD BE EXPLOITED BY RUSSIA, CHINA, INDIA, NIGERIA, AND
         OTHER MAJOR POWERS THAT COULD ASSERT "WE SEE AN 
         OVERWHELMING HUMANITARIAN NECESSITY TO ACT, (AND) NATO 
         USED THIS ARGUMENT TO ACT IN KOSOVO."

                         /// END ACT ///

ANOTHER EXPERT, JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ANDREW PIERRE, 
SUGGESTS THE OVERRIDING CONCERN FOR THE SUMMIT IS WHETHER NATO 
REMAINS A PRIMARILY DEFENSE ORGANIZATION FOR MEMBER NATIONS OR 
EXPANDS ITS ROLE AS IT HAS IN KOSOVO.

MR. PIERRE SAYS EVEN IF NATO IS SUCCESSFUL IN KOSOVO, IT MAY BE 
RELUCTANT TO BROADEN ITS CORE MISSION IN ORDER TO AVOID APPEARING
TOO READY TO TAKE MILITARY ACTION.

BUT MR. BINNENDIJK SAYS IF THE KOSOVO MISSION FAILS, THERE WILL 
BE WHAT HE CALLS THE "SOMALIA EFFECT," REFERRING TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S RELUCTANCE IN THE EARLY 1990'S TO 
INTERVENE IN CONFLICTS FOLLOWING A FAILED MISSION IN SOMALIA.

MR. BINNENDIJK SAYS WHAT HAPPENS IN KOSOVO IS LIKELY TO IMPACT 
THE SUMMIT AND SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE TAKEN FOR NATO'S 
FUTURE. (SIGNED)

NEB/CP/LTD/JO    

16-Apr-99 4:38 PM EDT (2038 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.