    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 10, 1996]
    [Page 2184]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2184]]

    Statement Announcing the 1997 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit
    December 10, 1996

        Today America and its NATO allies agreed to hold a NATO summit on
    July 8-9, 1997, in Madrid to take the crucial next steps on the
    enlargement and adaptation of the North Atlantic alliance for the 21st
    century. This marks an important milestone on the road to an integrated,
    democratic, and secure Europe.
        The summit will seek to advance a strong and enduring NATO-Russia
    partnership; to strengthen partnership with all of Europe's new
    democracies; to approve adaptations within NATO to prepare the alliance
    to meet the challenges of the coming century; and to invite the first
    aspiring NATO members to begin accession talks to join the alliance. My
    goal is to see NATO take in its first new members by 1999, the 50th
    anniversary of NATO's founding and the 10th anniversary of the fall of
    the Berlin Wall.
        From the beginning of my administration, I have worked hard to end
    the cold war division of Europe and to create, for the first time in
    history, a Europe united in democracy, security, and free market
    prosperity. Now, we must continue to reach out to Russia and include
    this great nation in the fabric of Europe's emerging community of
    democracies. We must open the doors of Europe's institutions that
    nurtured peace, prosperity, and security throughout the cold war to
    Europe's new democracies, excluding no nation that shares our values and
    is willing and able to shoulder our common responsibilities.
        NATO has never threatened any other nation, nor will an enlarged
    NATO do so in the future. While NATO's new members will be full members
    of the alliance, NATO has no intention, no plan, and no reason to deploy
    nuclear weapons on the territory of new members.
        We have made tremendous progress over the last 4 years in realizing
    our vision of an undivided Europe at peace, and no one deserves more
    credit than Warren Christopher. Thanks to his efforts, Secretary-
    designate Madeleine Albright and my new national security team will have
    a strong foundation on which to achieve that important goal.