[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5317-S5318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REPORT CONCERNING THE RATIFICATION OF THE PROTOCOLS TO THE NORTH 
 ATLANTIC TREATY OF 1949 ON THE ACCESSION OF POLAND, HUNGARY, AND THE 
           CZECH REPUBLIC--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT--PM 130

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message

[[Page S5318]]

from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

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.

                          ____________________