THE NATO HANDBOOK i i 50th Anniversary Edition Office of Information and Press NATO - 1110 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM ----------------- 1998 ---------------- NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION (NATO) # v # « » •W*Wttr. 1949 1SV* ■ MEMBER COUNTRIES Belgium, Ca nada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States . The North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington in April 1949, created an Alliance for collective defence as defined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. The Treaty is o f indefinite duration. The Alliance links 14 European countries with the United States and Canada. In July 1997, at a Summit Meeting in Madrid, the Heads o f State and Government of the Alliance invited the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland to begin accession talks with a view to becoming members of the Alliance by 1999. In accordance with Article 10 of the Treaty, the Alliance remains open to future accessions by other European states in a position to further its principles and to contribute to the security o f the North Atlantic area. In parallel with the internal and external transformation of the Alliance which has taken place since the end of the Cold War, NATO has established a new Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council as a forum for consultation and cooperation with Partner countries throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. It has created new structures reflecting intensified cooperation with Russia and partnership with Ukraine as well as an enhanced dialogue with interested Mediterranean countries. It has undergone far-reaching internal and external reform and has made itself the instrument of peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area as it enters the new millennium. The fourth of April 1999 marks the 50th anniversary of the North A tlantic Treaty. The NATO Emblem, which appears on the cover of this book, was adopted as the symbol of the Atlantic Alliance by the North Atlantic Council in October 1953. The circle is the symbol of unity and cooperation and the compass rose suggests the common road lo peace taken by the 16 member countries of ihe Atlantic Alliance. NOTE The NATO Handbook is issued by the NATO Office of Information and Press as a reference book on the Alliance and on Alliance polices. The formulations which are used reflect as closely as possible the con­ sensus among the member nations which is the basis for all Alliance decisions. However the Handbook is not a formally agreed NATO document and therefore may not necessarily represent the official opin­ ions or positions of individual member governments on every issue dis­ cussed. The NATO Handbook - Documentation and the NATO Handbook - Chronology are published separately as companion volumes to this edi­ tion. Copies may be obtained from the Distribution Unit, NATO Office of Information and Press, NATO -1110 Brussels. The NATO Handbook and the companion volumes will also be made available on NATO’s web site (www.nato.int). The information contained in the NATO Handbook covers events and policy developments up to the end of May 1998. Appendices listing members of the North Atlantic Council, Military Representatives and officials are correct at the time of going to press (September 1998). ISBN 92-845-0104-0 -4- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Foreword by the Secretary Genera l 11 Prcfacc 15 Chapter 1 - What is NATO? Core Functi ons 23 Origins 25 NATO Today 27 Chapter 2 - The Principal Policy and Decision-Making Institu­ tions of the Alliance The North Atlantic Council 35 The Defence Planning Committee 38 The Nuclear Planning Group 39 Key to the Principal NATO Committees 39 Chapter 3 - The IVansformation of the Alliance Eur ope’s New Security Environment 59 The Strategic Concept of the Alliance 65 The Role of Allied Military Forces and the Transformation of the Alliance’s Defence Posture 69 Building the European Security and Defence Identity within the Alliance 75 Chapter 4 - The Opening Up of the Alliance The Invitation lo New Member Countries 81 Origins and Development of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council 84 Partnership for Peace 86 Enhancement of the Partnership for Peace Programme 92 Cooperation between NATO and Russia 97 NATO’s Partnership with Ukraine 102 The Alliance’s Mediterranean Dialogue 105 Key to the Institutions of Cooperation, Partnership and Dialogue 107 Chapt er 5 - The Alliance’s Operational Role in Peacekeeping The Process of Bringing Peace to the Former Yugoslavia 113 The NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) 120 The NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) 123 The Furtherance of the Peace Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina 127 Chapter 6 - The Alliance’s Role in Arms Control Arms Control Policy and NATO’s Comprehensive Concept 132 The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) 133 Verification and Implementation of Arms Control Agreements 134 Nuclear Arms Control and the Challenges of Proliferation 141 Chapter 7 - Policy and Decision-Making Consensus Politics and Joint Decision-Making 147 Crisis Management 150 The Defence Dimension 151 Nuclear Policy 155 Economic Cooperation 158 Public Information 161 Chapter 8 - Programmes and Activities Consumer Logistics 171 Armaments Cooperation, Planning and Standardisation 178 Communications and Information Systems 181 Civil /Military Coordination of Air Traffic Management 182 Air Defence 183 Civil Emergency Planning 185 Scientific Cooperation and Environmental Challenges 189 Chapter 9 - Common-Funded Resources : NATO Budgets and Financial Management The Principles of Common-Funding 198 Cost Sharing 200 Civil Budget 201 Military Budget 202 The NATO Security Investme nt Programme 20 2 Resource Management 203 Financial Management 204 Financial Control 206 Chapter 10 - Organisation and Structures NATO Headquarters 215 Permanent Representatives and National Delegations 215 The Secretary General 215 The International Staff 217 Office of the Secretary General 219 Executive Secretarial 219 Office of Information and Press 220 Office of Security 221 Division of Political Affairs 221 Division of Defence Planning and Operations 223 Division of Defence Support 225 NATO Headquarters Consultation, Command and Control 228 Staff (NHQC3S) Division of Security Investment, Logistics and Civil Emergency Planning 228 Division of Scientific and Environmental Affairs 230 Office of Management 231 Office of the Financial Controller 231 Office of the Chairman of the Senior Resource Board 232 Office of the Chairman of the Budget Committees 232 International Board of Auditors 232 NATO Production and Logistics Organisations 232 Chapter 11 - Military Organisation and Stru ctures The Military Committee 234 The Chairman of the Military Committee 237 Major NATO Commanders 237 International Military Staff 239 Chapter 12 - The Military Command Structure The Role of Integrated Military Forces 245 The Current Military Command Structure 247 Evo lution of the New Military Structu re 258 The Shape of the Future Military Command Structure 263 The Next Phase 269 Chapter 13 - Key to Organisations and Agencies Subordinate Bodies established by the Council and by 277 other Decision-making Forums in NATO Consumer Logistics 279 Production Logistics 283 Standardisation 285 Civil Emergency Planning 288 Air Traffic Management, Air Defence 289 Airborne Early Warning 290 Communication and Information Systems 292 Radio Frequency Management 294 Electronic Warfare 295 Meteorology 296 Research and Technology 297 Education and Training 301 Project Steering Committees and Project Offices 308 Chapter 14 - The Wider Institutional Framework for Security The United Nations 313 The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 316 The European Union (EU) 325 The Western European Union (WEU) 331 The Council of Europe 340 Chapter 15 - Parliamentary and Non-Governmental Organisations North Atlantic Assembly (NAA) 347 Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) 350 Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIO R) 355 APPENDICES Appendix 1 M embers of the North Atlantic Council 363 Appendix 2 Secretaries General of NATO 365 Appendix 3 Me mbers of the Military C ommittee 367 Appendix 4 Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Liaison Offices of Partner Countries 369 Appendix 5 Principal Officials of the International Staff 371 Appendix 6 Major NATO Commanders 373 Appendix 7 Abbreviations in Common Use 375 Appendix 8 Sources of Further Information 391 List of Illustrati ons NATO’s Civil and Military Structure 36 Principal NATO Committees 4 0 Principal Institutions of Partnership Cooperation and Dialogu e 108 NATO International Staff 216 Divisions of the International Staff 218 NATO’s Military Structure 235 The International Military Staff 238 The Current Military Structure - Allied Command Europe 250 - Allied Command Atlantic 257 The Future Military Structure - Allied Command Europe 265 - Allied Command Atlantic 267 The North Atlantic TVeaty 395 FOREWORD by the Secretary General Fifty years ago, as this new edition of the NATO Handbook goes to press, the North Atlantic Treaty was conceived but as yet unborn. In a few months we shall be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its signa­ ture. Yet fifty years ago today, the details of the Treaty had yet to be worked out, negotiations over membership were far from finished, the process of ratification had not even begun. The groundwork had been laid and the first steps had been taken. Five European countries had recently signed the Brussels Treaty - a precondition for the negotiation of a transatlantic alliance. Several years earlier, in August 1941, with the Second World War still raging, the President of the United States and the British Prime Min­ ister, Roosevelt and Churchill, issued a declaration of principles com­ mon to both their peoples, directed at the post-war situation. Their dec­ laration became known as the Atlantic Charter. It outlined their as­ pirations for international cooperation and established a code of con­ duct based on respect for sovereignty and the right of self-determination. A year later, with the war far from over, they marked the anniversary of the Atlantic Charter and evoked the concept of a union of “United Nations” using its combined resources and efforts to defend freedom and independence.