[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 21 (Monday, May 25, 1998)]
[Pages 940-941]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Certifying Cooperation of Poland, Hungary, and 
the Czech Republic to Conditions of Membership to the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization

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

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      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.