May 21, 1998

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES:

                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                              May 21, 1998


TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES:


     In accordance with the resolution of advice and consent to the
ratification of the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the
Accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, adopted by the Senate
of the United States on
April 30, 1998, I hereby certify to the Senate that:

          In connection with Condition (2), (i) the inclusion     of
       Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in NATO will not have the
       effect of increasing the overall percentage share of the United
       States in the common budgets of NATO; (ii) the United States is
       under no commitment to subsidize the national expenses necessary for
       Poland, Hungary, or the Czech Republic to meet its NATO commitments;
       and (iii) the inclusion of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic
       in NATO does not detract from the ability of the United States to
       meet or to fund its military requirements outside the North Atlantic
       area; and

          In connection with Condition (3), (A) the NATO-Russia   Founding
       Act and the Permanent Joint Council do not provide the Russian
       Federation with a veto over NATO policy; (B) the NATO-Russia
       Founding Act and the Permanent Joint Council do not provide the
       Russian Federation any role in the North Atlantic Council or NATO
       decision-making including (i) any decision NATO makes on an internal
       matter; or (ii) the manner in which NATO organizes itself, conducts
       its business, or plans, prepares for, or conducts any mission that
       affects one or more of its members, such as collective defense, as
       stated under Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty; and (C) in
       discussions in the Permanent Joint Council (i) the Permanent Joint
       Council will not be a forum in which NATO?s basic strategy,
       doctrine, or readiness is negotiated with the Russian Federation,
       and NATO will not use the Permanent Joint Council as a substitute
       for formal arms control negotiations such as the adaptation of the
       Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, done at Paris on
       November 19, 1990; (ii) any discussion with the Russian Federation
       of NATO doctrine will be for explanatory, not decision-making
       purposes; (iii) any explanation described in the preceding clause
       will not extend to a level of detail that could in any way
       compromise the effectiveness of NATO's military forces, and any such
       explanation will be offered only after NATO has first set its
       policies on issues affecting internal matters; (iv) NATO will not
       discuss any agenda item with the Russian Federation prior to
       agreeing to a NATO position within the North Atlantic Council on
       that agenda item; and (v) the Permanent Joint Council will not be
       used to make any decision on NATO doctrine, strategy, or readiness.



                                   WILLIAM J. CLINTON



THE WHITE HOUSE,
    May 21, 1998.



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