[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[December 19, 2000]
[Page 2730]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting
December 19, 2000

    I am very pleased with the outcome of NATO's foreign ministers 
meeting in Brussels last week. Secretary Albright and her NATO colleagues reaffirmed the Alliance's 
commitment to peace, democracy, and respect for human rights throughout 
southeast Europe. They also reviewed the important progress we have made 
towards meeting our April 1999 Washington summit commitments--including 
improving our defense capabilities, increasing efforts against weapons 
of mass destruction, and reviewing the enlargement process at our next 
summit, to take place no later than 2002. I applaud the selection of 
Prague as the site for the next NATO summit. The Czech Republic under 
President Havel has been a driving force in the 
continued integration of Europe.
    Working closely with the EU, NATO also has advanced the goals we set 
at the Washington summit for strengthening European defense 
capabilities. I welcome the agreement at the EU's Nice summit to improve 
Europe's ability to act in times of crises and to put arrangements in 
place for close collaboration with NATO. NATO Defense and Foreign 
Ministers also acted to establish a strategic partnership with the EU. 
These efforts will strengthen NATO's European pillar, promote the EU's 
ability to manage crises where NATO is not engaged, and reinforce our 
transatlantic ties.
    We still have work to do to implement these arrangements and 
strengthen the habits of cooperation that have been NATO's hallmark 
since the end of the cold war. The United States looks forward to 
working with our European allies and partners to enhance our partnership 
and advance our common goals.