A SURVEY ON CURRENT MAJOR NATO ISSUES

Abstract

This study is based on a survey1 conducted among the participants of Senior Course 96, which was held between February and July 2000 at the NATO Defence College. This course is organised every six months to provide strategic training for senior officials from the military and government branches of NATO and Partnership countries. Senior officials are selected from among those who are or will likely be working on NATO-related work either in their national services or at NATO headquarters. As they are supposed to hold senior posts in NATO works, their views on leading NATO issues are of practical value in contributing to assessment studies on the future of the Alliance. Thus, a questionnaire consisting of 21 questions relating to major NATO issues was brought to the attention of 81 senior officials, of whom 10 were from Partnership countries.2 They replied on the basis of anonymity. Based on their replies,3 this study will analyse findings on major NATO issues, categorised as follows: the relevance of NATO; the process of enlargement; NATO-Russia relations; the USA's importance for NATO; and developments in European security and defence. The aim of this study is not to be exhaustive but rather to provide food for thought.

References

1. Press Statement by Secretary-General of NATO, 23 March 1999, NATO Press Release (1999) 040.
2. Bring, Owe, 'Should NATO take the Lead in Formulating a Doctrine on Humanitarian Intervention?', NATO Review, Vol. 47, No. 3, Autumn 1999, p. 25.
3. 'NATO's Open Door Policy', Readers' Guide to the NATO Summit at Washington, NATO Office of Information and Press, 1999, p. 26. Ibid., p. 84.
4. Secretary-General's speech at the 10th International Antalya Conference on Security and Co-operation, Antalya, 10 March 2000, www.nato.int/docu/speech/2000.
5. See Secretary-General's speech at the 10th International Antalya Conference. Judged by the issues that no more than 60 percent of respondents supported. These are issues that 70 percent of more of respondents supported.