NationMaster - Encyclopedia: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation¹ for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. Its headquarters are located in Brussels^[1], Belgium. Its other official name is the French equivalent, l'Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN). Image File history File links Flag_of_NATO.svg The flag of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). ... Missing image The of the The flag of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation consists of a blue flag with the white emblem of a compass rose with four white lines spreading out from it. ... Map of member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. ... Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium, the French Community of... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (right) and Jan Peter Balkenende Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (left) and Colin Powell Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (legally Jakob Gijsbert de Hoop Scheffer) (born April 3, 1948) is a Dutch politician who is the 11th NATO Secretary General. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Image File history File links Portal. ... From the White House [1]. Public domain. ... From the White House [1]. Public domain. ... The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is a trade organization based in the United States whose members are the owners of movie theaters. ... An international organization (also called intergovernmental organization) is an organization of international scope or character. ... Collective Security is a system for aspiring for peace in which participants agree that any breach of the peace is to be declared to be of concern to all the participating states, and will result in a collective response. ... The North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, DC on April 4, 1949. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium, the French Community of...

Purpose

The Treaty cautiously avoids reference both to the identification of an enemy and to any concrete measures of common defence. Nevertheless, it was intended so that if the USSR and its allies launched an attack against any of the NATO members, it would be treated as if it was an attack on all member states. This marked a significant change for the United States, which traditionally harboured strong isolationist groups across parties in Congress. However, the feared invasion of Western Europe never came. Instead, the provision was invoked for the first time in the treaty's history on 12 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks on the United States the day before. The United Nations Charter is the constitution of the United Nations. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... The resulting explosion after the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. ...

NATO Summit 2006 will take place in Latvia. The Summit meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government will be held in Latvia on 28-29 November 2006. ...

History

The US President, NATO Secretary General, and the Prime Ministers of Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Estonia after a South Lawn ceremony welcoming them into NATO on 29 March 2004.

Image File history File linksMetadata NATO_March_29_2004. ... Image File history File linksMetadata NATO_March_29_2004. ...

Beginnings

The Treaty of Brussels, signed on 17 March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and the United Kingdom, is considered the precursor to the NATO agreement. This treaty established a military alliance, later to become the Western European Union. However, American participation was thought necessary in order to counter the military power of the Soviet Union, and therefore talks for a new military alliance began almost immediately. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Western European Union. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Membership 10 member states 6 associate member states 5 observer countries 7 associate partner countries Formation - Signed Treaty of Brussels - 17 March 1948 Not to be confused with the European Union (EU), the Western European Union (WEU) is a partially dormant European defence and security organization, established on the basis...

These talks resulted in the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed in Washington, DC on 4 April 1949. It included the five Treaty of Brussels states, United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Three years later, on 18 February 1952, Greece and Turkey also joined. The North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, DC on April 4, 1949. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The incorporation of West Germany into the organisation on 9 May 1955 was described as "a decisive turning point in the history of our continent" by Halvard Lange, Foreign Minister of Norway at the time. ^[2] Indeed, one of its immediate results was the creation of the Warsaw Pact, signed on 14 May 1955 by the Soviet Union and its satellite states as a formal response to this event, firmly establishing the two opposing sides of the Cold War. May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Halvard Mathey Lange (1902 - 1970) was a Norwegian diplomat. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Satellite state is a political term that refers to a country which is formally independent but which is primarily subject to the domination of another, larger power. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ...

Early Cold War - Crisis with France

The unity of NATO was breached early on in its history, with a crisis occurring during Charles de Gaulle's presidency of France from 1958 onwards. De Gaulle protested the United States' hegemonical role in the organization and protested what he perceived as a special relationship between the United States and Great Britain. In a memorandum he sent on 17 September 1958 to President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, he argued for the creation of a tripartite Directorate that would put France on an equal footing with the United States and the United Kingdom, and also for the expansion of NATO's coverage to include geographical areas of interest to France. Charles AndrÃ© Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ) (22 November 1890 - 9 November 1970), in France commonly referred to as le gÃ©nÃ©ral de Gaulle, was a French military leader and statesman. ... British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003, in the build-up to the invasion of Iraq by their countries. ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dwight David Eisenhower, (October 14, 1890 â€“ March 28, 1969, popularly known as Ike) was an American soldier and politician. ... The Right Honourable Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894â€“29 December 1986), nicknamed Supermac and Mac the Knife, was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ...

Considering the response he was given unsatisfactory, De Gaulle started pursuing an independent defense for his country. France's Mediterranean fleet was withdrawn from NATO command in 11 March 1959. An independent nuclear programme was also pursued: In June 1959, De Gaulle banned the stationing of foreign nuclear weapons on French soil, which caused United States to transfer 200 military aeroplanes out of France; in 13 February 1960 France tested its first nuclear bomb -- a move much criticized among its NATO allies. 11 March is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (71st in Leap year). ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Though France showed solidarity with the rest of NATO during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, de Gaulle continued his pursuit of an independent defense by also removing the Atlantic and Channel fleets of France from NATO command. Finally on 1966 all French armed forces were removed from NATO’s integrated military command and all non-French NATO troops were forced to leave France. This precipitated the relocation of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) from Paris to Brussels by 16 October 1967. France rejoined NATO's military command in 1993. U.S.A.F. spy photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis refers to the tense confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the central command of NATO military forces. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city, with the skyscrapers of La DÃ©fense business district 3 miles behind. ... Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium, the French Community of... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Détente

During most of the duration of the Cold War, NATO maintained a holding pattern with no actual military engagement as an organisation. On 1 July 1968, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty opened for signature: NATO argued that its nuclear weapons sharing arrangements did not breach the treaty as US forces controlled the weapons until a decision was made to go to war, at which point the treaty would no longer be controlling. Few states knew of the NATO nuclear sharing arrangements at that time, and they were not challenged. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Opened for signature July 1, 1968 in New York Entered into force March 5, 1970 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and 40 other signatory states. ... Nuclear sharing is a concept in NATOs policy of nuclear deterrence, which involves member countries without nuclear weapons of their own in the planning for the use of nuclear weapons by NATO, and in particular provides for the armed forces of these countries to be involved in delivering these...

On 30 May 1978, NATO countries officially defined two complementary aims of the Alliance, to maintain security and pursue détente. This was supposed to mean matching defences at the level rendered necessary by the Warsaw Pact's offensive capabilities without spurring a further arms race. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... DÃ©tente is French for relaxation. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... An arms race is a competition between two or more countries for military supremacy. ...

However, on 12 December 1979, in light of a build-up of Warsaw Pact nuclear capabilities in Europe, ministers approved the deployment of US Cruise and Pershing II theatre nuclear weapons in Europe. The new warheads were also meant to strengthen the western negotiating position in regard to nuclear disarmament. This policy was called the Dual Track policy. Similarly, in 1983–84, responding to the stationing of Warsaw Pact SS-20 medium-range missiles in Europe, NATO deployed modern Pershing II missiles able to reach Moscow within minutes. This action led to peace movement protests throughout Western Europe. December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... A Tomahawk cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile which uses a lifting wing and most often a jet propulsion system to allow sustained flight. ... The Pershing II Missile during a test flight The MGM-31 Pershing was a solid-fueled two-stage inertially guided medium range ballistic missile used by the U.S. Armys Missile Command. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The RT-21M Pioneer was a medium-range ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead deployed by the Soviet Union from 1976 to 1988. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The membership of the organisation in this time period likewise remained largely static, with NATO only gaining one new member in 30 May 1982, when newly democratic Spain joined the alliance, following a referendum. Greece also in 1974 withdrew its forces from NATO’s military command structure, as a result of Greco-Turkish tensions following the 1974 Cyprus dispute; Greek forces were however readmitted in 1980. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

In November 1983, a NATO manoeuvre code-named Able Archer 83, which simulated a NATO nuclear release, caused panic in the Kremlin. Soviet leadership, led by ailing General Secretary Yuri Andropov became concerned that US President Ronald Reagan may have been intending to launch a genuine first strike. In response, Soviet nuclear forces were readied and air units in Eastern Germany and Poland were placed on alert. Though at the time written off by US intelligence as a propaganda effort, many historians now believe Soviet fear of a NATO first strike was genuine. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII in Roman) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ABLE ARCHER 83 was a NATO command post exercise (or war game) conducted from November 2â€”11, 1983, which spanned the continent of Europe and simulated a coordinated nuclear release. ... Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (Ð®ÌÑ€Ð¸Ð¹ Ð’Ð»Ð°Ð´Ð¸ÌÐ¼Ð¸Ñ€Ð¾Ð²Ð¸Ñ‡ ÐÐ½Ð´Ñ€Ð¾ÌÐ¿Ð¾Ð²), (15 June [O.S. 2 June] 1914 â€“ February 9, 1984) was a Soviet politician and General Secretary of the CPSU from November 12, 1982 until his death just sixteen months later. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ... In nuclear strategy, first strike capability is a countrys ability to defeat another nuclear power by destroying its arsenal to the point where the attacking country can survive the weakened retaliation. ...

Post-Cold War

The end of the Cold War, the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, removed the de facto main adversary of NATO. This caused a strategic reevalution of NATO's purpose, nature and tasks. In practice this ended up entailing a gradual (and still ongoing) expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe, as well as the extension of its activities to areas not formerly concerning it. The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ...

The first post-Cold War expansion of NATO came with the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990, when the former East Germany becomes part of the Federal Republic of Germany and the alliance. This had been agreed in the Two Plus Four Treaty earlier in the year. To secure Soviet approval of a united Germany remaining in NATO, it was agreed that foreign troops and nuclear weapons will not be stationed in the east. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) refers to the reunification of Germany from its constituent parts of East Germany and West Germany under a single government on October 3, 1990. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... National motto: none Official languages German Capital East Berlin Largest city East Berlin Area - Total - % water Ranked 106th 108,333 kmÂ² Negligible Creation -Abolition 7 October 1949 3 October 1990 Currency East German Mark Time zone â€“ in summer CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2) National anthem Auferstanden aus Ruinen Internet... The Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany is the final peace treaty negotiated between the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, and the Four Powers which occupied Germany at the end of World War II in Europe - France, the United Kingdom, the United States and...

On 28 February 1994, NATO also takes its first military action, shooting down four Bosnian Serb aircraft violating a UN no-fly zone over central Bosnia and Herzegovina. NATO air strikes the following year help bring the war in Bosnia to an end, resulting in the Dayton Agreement. February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... A No-Fly Zone is a territory over which aircraft generally or certain unauthorized aircraft are not permitted to fly. ... The Yugoslav wars were a series of violent conflicts in the territory of the former Yugoslavia that took place between 1991 and 2001. ... General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i. ...

Between 1994 and 1997, wider forums for regional cooperation between NATO and its neighbours are set up, like the Partnership for Peace, the Mediterranean Dialogue initiative and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. In 8 July 1997, three former communist countries, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland, were invited to join NATO, which finally happened in 1999. Partnership for Peace is a NATO project aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union. ... The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) is a NATO organization, a multilateral forum created to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe and those parts of Asia on the European periphery. ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 24 March 1999, NATO saw its first broad-scale military engagement in the Kosovo War, where it waged an 11-week bombing campaign against what was then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Conflict ended on 11 June 1999, when Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milošević agreed to NATO’s demands by accepting UN resolution 1244. NATO then helped establish the KFOR, a NATO-led force under a United Nations mandate that operates the military peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Motto: none Anthem: Hej Sloveni Capital Belgrade (Executive and Legislative) Podgorica (Judicial) Largest city Belgrade Official language(s) Serbian1 Government â€¢ President Svetozar MaroviÄ‡ Independence From Yugoslavia April 28, 1992 Area - Total - Water (%) 102,350 kmÂ² (105th) 39,518 sq mi 0. ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Slobodan MiloÅ¡eviÄ‡ Slobodan MiloÅ¡eviÄ‡ ({{Serbian Cyrillic: Ð¡Ð»Ð¾Ð±Ð¾Ð´Ð°Ð½ ÐœÐ¸Ð»Ð¾ÑˆÐµÐ²Ð¸Ñ›}}, pronounced []); (20 August 1941 â€“ 11 March 2006) was President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia. ... Pocket badge of the KFOR Ukrainian soldier on foot patrolling in Serbian village near Brezovica KFOR vehicle of the French Army The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a NATO-led international force responsible for establishing and maintaining security in Kosovo. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Debate concerning NATO's role and the concerns of the wider international community continued throughout its expanded military activities: The United States opposed efforts to require the UN Security Council to approve NATO military strikes, such as the ongoing action against Yugoslavia, while France and other NATO countries claimed the alliance needed UN approval. American officials said that this would undermine the authority of the alliance, and they noted that Russia and China would have exercised their Security Council vetoes to block the strike on Yugoslavia. In April 1999, at the Washington summit, a German proposal that NATO adopts a no-first-use nuclear strategy is rejected. Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages, in Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic ÐˆÑƒÐ³Ð¾ÑÐ»Ð°Ð²Ð¸Ñ˜Ð°) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Official website: http://www. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons. ...

After the September 11th attacks

NATO Defence Ministerial Conference in Nice 2005

The expansion of the activities and geographical reach of NATO grew even further as an outcome of the September 11th attacks. These caused as a response the provisional invocation (on September 12) of the collective security of NATO's charter — Article 5 which states that any attack on a member state will be considered an attack against the entire group of members. The invocation is confirmed on 5 October 2001 when NATO determines that the attacks were indeed eligible under the terms of the North Atlantic Treaty. [1] The resulting explosion after the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. ... Download high resolution version (1200x781, 226 KB)Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld listens to a presentation at the NATO Defense Ministerial Conference in Nice, France, on February 10, 2005. ... Download high resolution version (1200x781, 226 KB)Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld listens to a presentation at the NATO Defense Ministerial Conference in Nice, France, on February 10, 2005. ... The resulting explosion after the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Despite this early show of solidarity, NATO would face a crisis little more than a year later, when on 10 February 2003, France and Belgium vetoed the procedure of silent approval concerning the timing of protective measures for Turkey in case of a possible war with Iraq. Germany did not use its right to break the procedure but said it supported the veto. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On the issue of Afghanistan on the other hand, the alliance showed greater unity: On 16 April 2003 NATO agreed to take command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The decision came at the request of Germany and the Netherlands, the two nations leading ISAF at the time of the agreement, and all 19 NATO ambassadors approved it unanimously. The handover of control to NATO takes place on 11 August, and marked the first time in NATO’s history that it took charge of a mission outside the north Atlantic area. Canada had originally been slated to take over ISAF by itself on that date. April 16 is the 106th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (107th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... French Army forces, 4Ã¨mes chasseurs (27th mountain infantry brigade), in Afghanistan in 2004, passing a woman in a burka. ... August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

New NATO structures are also formed while old ones are abolished: The NATO Response Force (NRF) is launched at the 2002 Prague Summit on 21 November. On 19 June 2003, a major restructuring of the NATO military commands began as the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic were abolished and a new command, Allied Command Transformation (ACT), was established in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) became the Headquarters of Allied Command Operations (ACO). ACT is responsible for driving transformation (future capabilities) in NATO, whilst ACO is responsible for current operations. The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a coherent, high readiness, joint, multinational force package of approximately 17,000 troops that is technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable. Its role is to act as a stand alone military force that can be rapidly deployed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... June 19 is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 195 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This Wikipedia article uses European spelling because of NATOs historical use of this style as a standard. ... Nickname: Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... SHAPE Emblem Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the central command of NATO military forces. ...

Membership went on expanding with the accession of seven more Eastern European countries to NATO: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. They were first invited to start talks of membership during the 2002 Prague Summit, and joined NATO on 29 March 2004. A number of other countries have also expressed a wish to join the alliance, including Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, and Croatia. March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Macedonian: Ð¡Ð»Ð¾Ð±Ð¾Ð´Ð° Ð¸Ð»Ð¸ Ð¡Ð¼Ñ€Ñ‚) (English: Liberty or death) Anthem: Macedonian: Ð”ÐµÐ½ÐµÑ ÐÐ°Ð´ ÐœÐ°ÐºÐµÐ´Ð¾Ð½Ð¸Ñ˜Ð° (Transliteration: Denes Nad Makedonija) (Translation: Today Over Macedonia) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian1 Government President Prime Minister Parliamentary republic Branko Crvenkovski Vlado BuÄkovski Independence Declared From Yugoslavia September 8, 1991 Area - Total - Water (%) 25,333 kmÂ² (146th...

Membership

Map of NATO countries

Membership of NATO in Europe

onmouseover="pv(event, 273)" onmouseout="unpv(273)" style="">12 March 1999: Image File history File links Map_of_NATO_countries2. ... Image File history File links Map_of_NATO_countries2. ... Download high resolution version (1210x1298, 68 KB)Expansion of NATO in Europe. ... Download high resolution version (1210x1298, 68 KB)Expansion of NATO in Europe. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iceland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Luxembourg. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Portugal. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Turkey. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... National motto: none Official languages German Capital East Berlin Largest city East Berlin Area - Total - % water Ranked 106th 108,333 kmÂ² Negligible Creation -Abolition 7 October 1949 3 October 1990 Currency East German Mark Time zone â€“ in summer CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2) National anthem Auferstanden aus Ruinen Internet... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A map of the Eastern Bloc. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

29 March 2004: Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Hungary. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

France withdrew from the integrated military command in 1966. Since then it has remained solely a member of NATO's political structure. Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Estonia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Lithuania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Romania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Slovakia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Slovenia. ...

Iceland, the sole NATO member that does not have its own military force (the Icelandic Defense Force being the US Military contingent permanently stationed in Iceland), joined on the condition that they would not be expected to establish one. The Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) is the military body responsible for protecting Iceland, headquartered at KeflavÃk, and manned by United States military personnel. ...

Greece withdrew its forces from NATO’s military command structure from 1974 to 1980 as a result of Greco-Turkish tensions following the 1974 Cyprus dispute. // Headline text Relations between Greece and Turkey have been marked by alternating periods of mutual hostility and reconciliation ever since Greece won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832. ... The Cyprus Dispute is the conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. ...

Cooperation with non-member states

██ NATO member states Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x628, 38 KB) Summary NATO (in blue), the Partnership for Peace countries (in yellowish), the Mediterranean dialogue countries (in reddish). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x628, 38 KB) Summary NATO (in blue), the Partnership for Peace countries (in yellowish), the Mediterranean dialogue countries (in reddish). ...

██ Partnership for Peace countries

██ Mediterranean Dialogue countries

Euro-Atlantic Partnership

A double framework has been established to help further co-operation between the 26 NATO members and 20 "partner countries". Partnership for Peace is a NATO project aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union. ... The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) is a NATO organization, a multilateral forum created to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe and those parts of Asia on the European periphery. ...

The 20 partner countries are the following: May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the independent nations which split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its breakup in 1991. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Armenia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Azerbaijan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belarus. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Kazakhstan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Kyrgyzstan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Moldova. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tajikistan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Turkmenistan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ukraine. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uzbekistan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Switzerland. ... Countries behind Iron Curtain are shaded red. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Macedonia. ... Motto: (Macedonian: Ð¡Ð»Ð¾Ð±Ð¾Ð´Ð° Ð¸Ð»Ð¸ Ð¡Ð¼Ñ€Ñ‚) (English: Liberty or death) Anthem: Macedonian: Ð”ÐµÐ½ÐµÑ ÐÐ°Ð´ ÐœÐ°ÐºÐµÐ´Ð¾Ð½Ð¸Ñ˜Ð° (Transliteration: Denes Nad Makedonija) (Translation: Today Over Macedonia) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian1 Government President Prime Minister Parliamentary republic Branko Crvenkovski Vlado BuÄkovski Independence Declared From Yugoslavia September 8, 1991 Area - Total - Water (%) 25,333 kmÂ² (146th... Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania. ...

Mediterranean Dialogue

The Mediterranean Dialogue, first launched in 1994 is a forum of cooperation between NATO and seven countries of the Mediterranean:

Image File history File links Flag_of_Algeria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Jordan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mauritania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Morocco. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tunisia. ...

NATO-Russian Federation Council

NATO and Russian Federation made a reciprocal commitment in 1997 "to work together to build a stable, secure and undivided continent on the basis of partnership and common interest." To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In May 2002, this commitment was strengthened with the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council, which brings together the NATO members and Russia. The purpose of this council is to identify and pursue opportunities for joint action with the 27 participants as equal partners.

Australia

In April 2005, Australia signed a security agreement with NATO on enhancing intelligence cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Australia also posted a defense attache to NATO's headquarters. [2] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Structures

Political structure

Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer meeting George Bush on March 20, 2006

Like any alliance, NATO is ultimately governed by its 26 member states. However, the North Atlantic Treaty, and other agreements, outline how decisions are to be made within NATO. Each of the 26 members sends a delegation or mission to NATO’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The senior permanent member of each delegation is known as the Permanent Representative and is generally a senior civil servant or an experienced ambassador (and holding that diplomatic rank). Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_dehoopscheffer. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_dehoopscheffer. ... The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is the chair of the North Atlantic Council, the supreme decision-making organisation of the defence alliance. ... Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (right) and Jan Peter Balkenende Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (left) and Colin Powell Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (legally Jakob Gijsbert de Hoop Scheffer) (born April 3, 1948) is a Dutch politician who is the 11th NATO Secretary General. ... Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: BrÃ¼ssel) is the capital of Belgium, the French Community of... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own country. ...

Together the Permanent Members form the North Atlantic Council (NAC), a body which meets together at least once a week and has effective political authority and powers of decision in NATO. From time to time the Council also meets at higher levels involving Foreign Ministers, Defence Ministers or Heads of Government and it is at these meetings that major decisions regarding NATO’s policies are generally taken. However, it is worth noting that the Council has the same authority and powers of decision-making, and its decisions have the same status and validity, at whatever level it meets. North Atlantic Council is the most senior political governing body of NATO. The NAC can be held at the Permanent Representative Level (PermReps), or can be comprised of member states Ministers of State, Defense, or Heads of State. ... A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the governmental foreign policy of a sovereign nation. ... A defence minister (Commonwealth English) or defense minister (American English) is a cabinet portfolio (position) which regulates the armed forces in a sovereign nation. ... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ...

The meetings of the North Atlantic Council are chaired by the Secretary General of NATO and, when decisions have to be made, action is agreed upon on the basis of unanimity and common accord. There is no voting or decision by majority. Each nation represented at the Council table or on any of its subordinate committees retains complete sovereignty and responsibility for its own decisions. The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is the chair of the North Atlantic Council, the supreme decision-making organisation of the

Contents

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