[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
[May 21, 1998]
[Page 821]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 821]]


Message to the Congress Reporting Certifications Required by the 
Ratification Resolution for the Protocols of Accession to NATO for 
Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic
May 21, 1998

To the Congress 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.