[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3456-S3457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROTOCOLS TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY OF 1949 ON ACCESSION OF POLAND, 
                      HUNGARY, AND CZECH REPUBLIC

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                 JEFFORDS EXECUTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2304

  (Ordered to lie on the table.)
  Mr. JEFFORDS submitted an executive amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the resolution of ratification for the treaty (Treaty Doc. 
No. 105-36) protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the 
accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. These protocols 
were opened for signature at Brussels on December 16, 1997, and signed 
on behalf of the United States of America and other parties to the 
North Atlantic Treaty; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in section 3 of the resolution, 
     insert the following:
       (  ) United states government discussions with foreign 
     governments regarding possible further enlargement of nato.--
       (i) Findings.--The Senate finds that--
       (I) the President has consistently stated that the current 
     round of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty will not be 
     the last and that the door to membership will remain open;
       (II) the following nine Partnership for Peace countries 
     have begun the formal application process to join NATO: 
     Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, 
     Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of 
     Macedonia;
       (III) the following 15 countries have sought a closer 
     relationship with NATO by joining the Partnership for Peace: 
     Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Finland, Georgia, 
     Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, 
     Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan; and
       (IV) Croatia has expressed interest in NATO membership;
       (ii) Annual reports.--Prior to the deposit of the United 
     States instrument of ratification, and annually thereafter, 
     the President shall submit a report to the Senate on the 
     status of discussions concerning NATO membership for 
     Partnership for Peace countries and other countries that have 
     expressed interest in NATO membership, including--
       (I) the expected timetable for those countries to meet the 
     criteria for NATO membership; and
       (II) a discussion of how the functioning of NATO would be 
     altered if those countries were included.

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, today I am submitting an amendment to 
the resolution to ratify the accession of Poland, Hungary, and the 
Czech Republic to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This 
amendment addresses future new membership in the alliance.
  28 countries in central Asia and eastern Europe that have applied for 
NATO membership or may aspire to join at a future date when they can 
meet NATO criteria. Today we are considering extending the NATO 
security umbrella to only three countries--Poland, Hungary, and the 
Czech Republic. It is important that we have a clear understanding that 
the expansion process may go much further than this initial round.
  In January 1994, the Administration adopted the Partnership for Peace 
program to provide a framework for NATO's evaluation of states that are 
considered to be candidates for alliance membership. In addition to the 
first three countries invited to join NATO, nine other Partnership for 
Peace countries have begun the formal application process for 
membership--Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, 
Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia. 
Moreover, another 15 countries have expressed an interest in NATO by 
joining the Partnership for Peace. These countries include Armenia, 
Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Finland, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgystan, 
Moldova, Russia, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 
Although not associated with Partnership for Peace, Croatia has 
expressed hope that they too will be admitted some day.
  The extensive territory covered by these NATO hopefuls begs for more 
information on the nature and mission of the alliance in the future. My 
amendment would require an annual report to the Senate on United States 
Government discussions with the governments of each of these countries 
on their possible accession. The reports would include the expected 
timetable for those

[[Page S3457]]

countries to meet the criteria for NATO membership and how the 
Administration believes the functioning of NATO would be altered if 
they were to become a member.
  Just how far are we willing to extend the NATO alliance? I am not 
questioning whether Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic deserve to 
become alliance members. All three have made remarkable gains since the 
end of the Cold War. But in the future, other of these 25 nations will 
meet the criteria to join NATO and may be no less deserving of 
membership. Now is the time for the Senate to begin thinking about the 
long-term indications of a decision to open NATOs doors to the East.

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