[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[March 28, 2008]
[Pages 442-443]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report on North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization Enlargement
March 28, 2008

Dear Mr. Chairman:
    Pursuant to section 3(2)(E)(i) of the Resolution of Ratification to 
the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of 
Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic adopted on April 30, 1998, I am 
pleased to submit the enclosed report on the Future Enlargement of NATO.
    In doing so, I note with appreciation the continued and strong 
bipartisan support that the Congress has shown on the issue of NATO's 
next round of enlargement.
    The report provides the following information for each of the three 
current NATO aspirants:

   (I)  An evaluation of how each country will further the principles of
         the North Atlantic Treaty and contribute to the security of the
         North Atlantic area;
  (II)  An evaluation of the eligibility of each country for membership
         based on the principles and criteria identified by NATO and the
         United States, including the military readiness of each
         country;
 (III)  An explanation of how an invitation to each country would affect
         the national security interests of the United States;
  (IV)  An up-to-date United States Government analysis of the common-
         funded military requirements and costs associated with
         integrating each country into NATO and an analysis of the
         shares of those costs to be borne by NATO members, including
         the United States; and
   (V)  A preliminary analysis of the implications for the United States
         defense budget and other United States budgets of integrating
         each country into NATO.
 

    The report is classified due to the nature of the information it 
contains assessing aspirants' capabilities and contributions.
         Sincerely,

                                                          George W. Bush

Note: Identical letters were sent to Robert C. Byrd, chairman, Senate 
Committee on Appropriations; Carl Levin, chairman, Senate Committee on 
Armed Services; Joseph R. Biden, Jr., chairman, Senate Committee on 
Foreign Relations; David R. Obey, chairman, House Committee on 
Appropriations; Isaac N. Skelton, IV, chairman, House Committee on Armed 
Services; and Howard L. Berman,

[[Page 443]]

chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. This letter was released 
by the Office of the Press Secretary on April 1.