    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [July 7, 1997]
    [Pages 917-919]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Members of Congress and the National
    Security Team and an Exchange With Reporters in Madrid, Spain
    July 7, 1997

    NATO Expansion

        The President. Let me begin by saying that I and the leaders of my
    administration team here have just finished a very important meeting
    with the congressional delegation. We are here in Madrid on an historic
    mission, to fashion a new NATO for a new Europe that is undivided for
    the first time in history, for a new century. And that new NATO will
    include new members, new missions, and new ties to countries, including
    the very important one we concluded last month with Russia and the one
    we will solidify here with Ukraine.
        For the United States to do its part, the Congress is obviously key
    for several reasons: First, any attempt to expand NATO to admit new
    members must be ratified by the Congress; secondly, while we expect the
    costs to be modest, it is not a free decision because of the costs of
    integrating new countries into the military planning and operations of
    NATO; and third, because we believe that the policy itself requires that
    we keep an open door to the prospect of other democracies coming in, and
    that is something that clearly would have to be supported by the
    Congress.
        The Members have made it clear to me that while we have
    representatives here from both Chambers and both parties, indicating
    that the United States understands that it's important that we be united
    on the question of Europe, we have a ways to go to convince the American
    people of the momentous importance of the decisions we're making here
    and the need for them to support it. And that is a job that I intend to
    take on when I go home, and I look forward to having the support of as
    many Members as possible for fulfilling it.
        But the fact that this delegation, from both parties and both
    Chambers of Congress, is here is very important. And the leader of the
    delegation, Senator Roth, who has been very active in these matters for
    years, will also address the summit, and I am very grateful for that.
        Senator, would you like to say anything?
        Senator Roth. Well, thank you, Mr. President. This is indeed a
    historic moment, and the reason I say it's an historic moment is that
    here we

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    are, sitting together, Republicans and Democrats, urging the expansion
    of NATO.
        And why expand NATO now? The reason for doing that is peace and
    security. We want to fill a vacuum in Eastern Europe. We want to give
    Eastern, Central Europe the same opportunity we helped give Western
    Europe, to democratize and reform for freedom. And I think that the fact
    that we're here together in a bipartisan spirit shows the importance of
    the matter. And the fact is that a undivided Europe, democratic, is the
    best chance for peace in our time.
        The President. Thank you.
        Q. Mr. President, are you convinced that you will take in only three
    members instead of five, despite the opposition?
        The President. I believe that the decision--the consensus decision
    will be for three, but I hope and believe that there will be a clear
    message that the door to NATO remains open. I know that there is support
    for Romania and for Slovenia, and I believe that they could well be
    strong candidates for future admission. And I think there are other
    nations that might be as well. I think it's important that we not look
    at Europe as a three- or a five-nation operation, that this is the
    beginning of a process that I think will go on.
        Let me also emphasize that there are a lot of other nations that
    have been part of our Partnership For Peace. We are explicitly creating
    a political arm of that partnership, if you will, in the Euro-Atlantic
    Partnership Council. That has succeeded beyond anybody's estimation.
    When the United States first proposed that, frankly, to be candid, even
    we thought--we never dreamed there would be that much interest in it,
    that so many countries would participate, and that it would work as well
    as it has. I think that one of the reasons you have so many people in
    Bosnia today, so many countries, is because of the way the Partnership
    For Peace has worked.
        So we are moving Europe's democracies closer and closer together,
    and we'll continue to do it. And I don't think that the difference of
    opinion we've had over how many to let in now should obscure the
    overwhelming unanimity of the fact that NATO should expand, should take
    on new missions, and should maintain new alliances with Russia, with
    Ukraine, and with the members of the Partnership For Peace.
        Q. Mr. President, is there anything you've heard from this
    congressional delegation that causes you any concern about the U.S.
    Congress going along with this? Or is there anything that troubles you
    as far as them giving their approval?
        The President. Well, what they've done is they've just reminded me
    that we've got to sell Congress on two things, and the two things are
    bound together. One is, Congress would have to agree to ratify an
    amendment to the NATO treaty putting in new members. And the second is
    that we would have to agree to pay our portion of the cost of
    integrating those new members. And they pointed out to me, in no
    uncertain terms, that we've got a sales job to do, but we think we can
    do it.
        Q. Mr. President, the Russians have said that if former Soviet
    Republics are admitted to NATO, they will have to reexamine their
    relationship with the alliance, a clear message that they would oppose
    the Baltic States being admitted. Will this summit, do you believe, send
    a clear message that when we say the door is open, it also includes
    Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia?
        The President. My position is that no European democracy should be
    excluded from ultimate consideration. And I have said that--I believe--
    my personal position is that should apply to Russia as well, that any
    democratic country in Europe prepared to make NATO's commitments--which
    includes recognizing the territorial integrity of every other democracy
    in Europe and every member of NATO and recognizing our mutual
    responsibility for one another's security--that anyone should be
    considered. That's always been the United States position, and that is
    mine. And I think it's the--I believe that's the position of every
    Republican and Democrat in this room. I believe it is.
        Q. Is there no chance that you will change your mind on three versus
    five?
        The President. My view on three versus five is based on the simple
    fact that NATO is a military as well as a political organization and we
    have to be quite disciplined in making judgments about who should come
    into the membership in terms of the obligations that they have to assume
    and their capacity to do it. I am very enthusiastic about the
    developments that have taken place in Romania and Slovenia recently. I
    think the fact that they've resolved territorial difficulties, that the
    Romanians have taken two Hungarians into the government and

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    the Cabinet, these things are extremely laudatory. I'm glad they want to
    be in NATO, and I think that they should get consideration. I just don't
    think at this time that they should be admitted. That's what I believe.
    And I think there are a lot of other countries who feel that. But we
    have to reach a consensus decision, and that's where I think--I hope and
    believe that's where we'll come out.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:43 p.m. at the Miguel Angel Hotel.