DATE=3/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246567
TITLE=NATO CEREMONY (S&L)
BYLINE=MICHAEL LELAND
DATELINE=INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION HAS THREE NEW 
MEMBERS -- THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY AND POLAND.  THEY ARE THE 
FIRST OF THE NATIONS OF THE FORMER SOVIET BLOC TO JOIN THE 
WESTERN MILITARY ALLIANCE.  THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE (FRIDAY) IN 
THE MIDWEST U-S CITY OF INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.  V-O-A'S MICHAEL 
LELAND HAS MORE.

TEXT:  AT A TABLE ONCE USED BY U-S PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN, ONE OF
NATO'S CREATORS NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO, AND WHO LIVED IN THIS 
COMMUNITY, U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT ACCEPTED THE
INSTRUMENTS OF NATO ACCESSION FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE 
ALLIANCE'S THREE NEWEST MEMBERS.  

                   /// FIRST ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         NEVER AGAIN WILL YOUR FATES BE TOSSED AROUND LIKE POKER 
         CHIPS ON A BARGAINING TABLE.  WHETHER YOU ARE HELPING TO
         REVISE THE ALLIANCE'S STRATEGIC CONCEPT OR ENGAGING IN 
         NATO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSSIA, THE PROMISE OF "NOTHING 
         ABOUT YOU WITHOUT YOU" IS NOW FORMALIZED.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE WESTERN MILITARY ALLIANCE NOW HAS 19 MEMBERS, AND MS. 
ALBRIGHT  SUGGESTS THERE WILL BE MORE ONE DAY.  SHE SAYS NATO 
EXPANSION IS  NOT  AN EVENT, BUT A PROCESS.

                    /// REST OPT FOR LONG ///

THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, JAN KAVAN, RECALLED 
BEING JUST A FEW KILOMETERS FROM HERE, IN KANSAS CITY (MISSOURI),
WHEN RUSSIAN TANKS ROLLED INTO PRAGUE IN 1968.  HE SAYS THE CZECH
REPUBLIC APPRECIATES THE MEANING OF NATO MEMBERSHIP.

                        /// KAVAN ACT ///

         WE ARE DETERMINED  NOT  TO BECOME A BURDEN TO THE 
         ALLIANCE.  JUST THE CONTRAR:  WE ARE PREPARED TO FULFILL
         OUR PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMITMENTS OF 
         MEMBER STATES, AND TO MEET ALL OF THE OBLIGATIONS AND 
         DUTIES WHICH STEM FROM THIS MEMBERSHIP.

                         /// END ACT ///

LIKE SECRETARY ALBRIGHT, THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF HUNGARY, JANOS  
MARTONYI, SPOKE IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING THE ALLIANCE'S MEMBERSHIP 
FURTHER.  BUT HE SAYS BECOMING A NATO MEMBER IS ABOUT MORE THAN  
CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL SECURITY.

                      /// MARTONYI ACT ///

         NATO ACCESSION IS ALSO ABOUT RETURNING HUNGARY TO HER 
         NATURAL HABITAT.  IT HAS BEEN OUR MANIFEST DESTINY TO 
         JOIN THOSE WITH WHOM WE SHARE THE SAME VALUES, INTERESTS
         AND GOALS.

                         /// END ACT ///

AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF POLAND, BRONISLAW GEREMEK, PROMISED 
HIS COUNTRY WOULD BE A FAITHFUL ALLY -- AS HE PUT IT, IN GOOD 
WEATHER AS WELL AS BAD.

                       /// GEREMEK ACT ///

         POLAND FOREVER RETURNS WHERE SHE HAS ALWAYS BELONGED: 
         THE FREE WORLD.  POLAND IS  NO  LONGER ALONE IN THE 
         DEFENSE OF HER FREEDOM.

                         /// END ACT ///

// OPT //  ALL 19 NATO NATIONS WILL JOIN 25 PARTNER COUNTRIES 
NEXT MONTH FOR A WASHINGTON SUMMIT, TO DISCUSS THE ALLIANCE'S 
ROLE DURING THE NEXT CENTURY.  MS. ALBRIGHT SAYS THE CZECH 
REPUBLIC, HUNGARY AND POLAND WILL BRING IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS TO
THAT GATHERING.  SHE SAYS THE CITIZENS OF ALL THREE COUNTRIES 
HAVE A TRADITION OF PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR FREEDOM.

                   /// SECOND ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         WITNESS HUNGARY'S COURAGEOUS FREEDOM FIGHTERS IN 1956, 
         THE STUDENTS WHO FACED DOWN TANKS IN THE STREETS OF 
         PRAGUE 12 YEARS LATER, AND THE WORKERS OF GDANSK, WHOSE 
         MOVEMENT FOR SOLIDARITY USHERED IN EUROPE'S NEW DAWN.

                /// END ACT ///   /// END OPT ///

MS. ALBRIGHT SAYS NATO WILL CONTINUE STRENGTHENING ITS 
PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND EUROPE'S OTHER DEMOCRACIES. 
SHE SAYS ITS PURPOSE TODAY IS ERASING THE LINES DRAWN BY SOVIET 
LEADER JOSEF STALIN, WITHOUT REPLACING THEM.   (SIGNED)

NEB/MJL/WTW

12-Mar-99 3:45 PM EST (2045 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.