NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO)

INTRODUCTION The North Atlantic Treaty Organization

(NATO) also called the (North) Atlantic Alliance, is an inter governmental  military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949.

The organization constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. 

 NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe, the newest of which, Albania and Croatia, joined in April 2009.

An additional 22 countries participate in NATO's "Partnership for Peace", with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs.

The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the world's defense spending

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The Treaty of Brussels, signed on 17 March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and the United Kingdom, is considered the precursor to the NATO agreement.

The treaty and the Soviet Berlin Blockade led to the creation of the Western European Union's Defense Organization in September 1948.

However, participation of the United States was thought necessary both to counter the military power of the USSR and to prevent the revival of nationalist militarism, so talks for a new military alliance began almost immediately resulting in the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed in Washington, D.C. on 4 April 1949.

HISTORY

It included the five Treaty of Brussels states plus the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

The first NATO Secretary General, Lord Ismay, stated in 1949 that the organization's goal was "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.

The members agreed that an armed attack against any one of them in Europe or North America would be considered an attack against them all.

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 Consequently they agreed that, if an armed attack occurred, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence, would assist the member being attacked, taking such action as it deemed necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

This differs from Article IV of the Treaty of Brussels, which clearly states that the response will be military in nature.

The creation of NATO brought about some standardization of allied military terminology, procedures, and technology, which in many cases meant European countries adopting U.S. practices

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The roughly 1300 Standardization Agreements codified many of the common practices that NATO has achieved.

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A Political Organization

A Military Organization

“NATO’s fundamental role and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries by political and military means.”

A POLITICAL & MILITARY ORGANIZATION

A Political Organizationreinforcing security by reducing the risk of conflict

A Military Organization when diplomatic efforts fail

DIPLOMACY DIALOGUE / CONSENSUS

COOPERATION

COLLECTIVE DEFENCE

CRISIS MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS

MAINTAINING ADEQUATE MILITARY

CAPABILITIES

MEMBER COUNTRIES1949

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States

1952

Greece, Turkey

1955

Germany

1982

Spain

1999

Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland

2004

2009

Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

Albania, Croatia

SHARING COMMON VALUES

Freedom

Rule of law

Individual liberty

Common Heritage

Democracy

Solidarity

Well-being

Peace and Stability

United Nations European Union Organization for Security and Co-

operation in Europe Council of Europe African Union Non-governmental organizations

OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION

Active cooperation on maintaining international peace and security since early 1990s

NATO-UN Declaration (September 2008)

framework for expanded consultation and cooperation between the two organizations

Consultation and cooperation in wide range of areas

crisis management, civil-military cooperation, mine action, civil emergency planning, arms control and non-proliferation, terrorism and new security challenges, combating human trafficking and promoting the role of women in peace and security

NATO-UN RELATION

1994: European Security and Defence Identity

1994: Combined Joint Task Force concept

2001: Beginning institutionalized relations

2003: Berlin Plus Package

Basis for practical cooperation in crisis management

NATO-EU RELATION

No military operations were conducted by NATO during the Cold War. Following the end of the Cold War, the first operations, Anchor Guard in 1990 and Ace Guard in 1991, were prompted by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Airborne Early Warning aircraft were sent to provide coverage of South Eastern Turkey, and later a quick-reaction force was deployed to the area.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Intervention Kosovo Intervention Iraq War Afghanistan War Libya Intervention

MILITARY OPERATIONS

Missile defence Terrorism Spread of weapons of mass destruction Cyber defence Energy security Alliance Theatre Missile Defence (TMD)

system to protect troops Missile defence for protection of NATO

territory & populations in Europe Missile defence cooperation with Russia

EXISTING AND EMERGING THREATS

Operation Active Endeavour (2001) International Security Assistance Force

(2003) Terrorist threat Intelligence Unit (2005) AWACS Surveillance missions Increased cooperation with Partners,

international organizations and global partners

Adapted military capabilities (e.g. Programme of Work for Defence Against Terrorism)

Science for Peace and Security Programme

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HOW DOES NATO WORK?1.Consensus decision-making2.Civil and military structure3.Delegations4.Main bodies5.NATO Secretary General6. International Staff7. International Military Staff8.Military command structure9.Agencies10.Paying for NATO

CONSENSUS DECISION-MAKING

An inter-governmental organization where decisions are taken

jointly by each member country

Principle of consensus applied at every committee level

CIVIL AND MILITARY STRUCTURE

DELEGATIONS A national delegation per member

country at NATO HQ, Brussels

Status of an Embassy

Headed by an Ambassador or Permanent Representative

MAIN BODIES North Atlantic Council

Key political decision-making body Forum to discuss policy and operational questions Chaired by Secretary General Meets at different levels Established by Article 9 of Washington Treaty

Nuclear Planning Group Ultimate authority with regard to nuclear policy issues Reviews the Alliance’s nuclear policy in the light of changing

security environment All members except for France Chaired by NATO Secretary General

Military Committee Senior military advisory authority Under authority of NAC and NPG Provides guidance to two strategic commanders Meets at different levels

Chairman selected by Chiefs of Staff for three-year term

CHAIRMAN OF NATO’S SENIOR COMMITTEES AND DECISION FACILITATOR

SPOKESPERSON

HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL STAFF

Chairman of NATO’s senior committees and decision facilitator

Spokesperson

Head of International Staff

INTERNATIONAL STAFF Advisory and administrative body Supports work of Delegations Divided into divisions Staffed by nationals from member

countries

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STAFF Advisory and administrative body Supports work of Military committee Divided into divisions Staffed by nationals from member

countries

AGENCIES Production and logistics

Standardization

Communications

Research

Other agencies and organizations

Project offices Reform Ongoing

PAYING FOR NATO

Indirect Contributions

Direct Contributions - Principle of Common Funding Civil budget Military budget NATO’s Security Investment Programme