DATE=4/26/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43233
TITLE= NATO / U-S ROLE
BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  NATO LEADERS HAVE ENDED THEIR SUMMIT SHOWING UNITY AND 
VOWING TO CONTINUE THE AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT 
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.  IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, 
CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA LOOKS AT THE PREDOMINANT ROLE OF 
THE UNITED STATES IN NATO AND ASKS WHETHER THAT ROLE WILL 
CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.

TEXT:  THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION -- NATO -- WAS 
CREATED 50-YEARS AGO AS A RESPONSE TO THE GROWING POWER OF THE 
SOVIET UNION AND THE MILITARY THREAT IT COULD POSE TO WESTERN 
EUROPE.  WITH THE UNITED STATES AS THE DOMINANT PLAYER IN NATO, 
IT MEANT COMMITTING U-S POWER TO PRESERVING STABILITY AND 
SECURITY ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT FOLLOWING THE RAVAGES OF THE 
SECOND WORLD WAR.

BUT THE PAST 10-YEARS HAVE BROUGHT MAJOR CHANGES -- ESPECIALLY IN
EUROPE.  THE END OF THE COLD WAR, THE COLLAPSE OF THE BERLIN WALL
AND THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE WARSAW PACT -- ALL OF THESE EVENTS 
HAVE FORCED NATO TO FIND A NEW ROLE.  AT THE SAME TIME, QUESTIONS
HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE DOMINANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE UNITED 
STATES WITHIN NATO -- AND WHETHER THAT ROLE SHOULD CONTINUE AS 
NATO BEGINS ITS SECOND HALF CENTURY OF EXISTENCE.

SIMON SERFATY, DIRECTOR OF EUROPEAN STUDIES AT THE 
(WASHINGTON-BASED) "CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL 
STUDIES", SAYS DURING THE PAST 50-YEARS, THE INTERESTS OF THE 
UNITED STATES IN EUROPE HAVE  NOT  ONLY TAKEN ROOT -- THEY HAVE 
BECOME IRREVERSIBLE. 

                       // SERFATY ACT // 

         THE REALITY OF THE COLD WAR IS THAT THE "OVER THERE" OF 
         EUROPE HAS MOVED "OVER HERE" IN THE UNITED STATES.  WE 
         HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ECONOMIC SPACE BETWEEN US AND THE 
         STATES OF EUROPE THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 25 TO 
         28-HUNDRED-BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR -- AND THAT WE CAN  
         NOT  DO WITHOUT AN AFFLUENT EUROPE ANY BETTER THAN THE 
         EUROPEANS CAN DO WITHOUT AN AFFLUENT AMERICAN SPACE.  
         THUS IT IS THE INTEREST IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 
         THOSE TWO SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC THAT IS DRIVING THE NEED
         TO SUSTAIN THE ALLIANCE AS AMERICA'S INSTITUTIONAL 
         CONDUIT TO THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT. 

                         // END ACT // 

MR. SERFATY SAYS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE UNITED STATES 
HAS BECOME A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHILE  NOT  OFFICIALLY 
JOINING THAT ORGANIZATION. 

IVO DAALDER -- FROM "THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION" RESEARCH 
ORGANIZATION -- SAYS WASHINGTON'S PREEMINENT ROLE IN NATO WILL 
CONTINUE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

                       // DAALDER ACT // 

         THE UNITED STATES REMAINS THE LEADER OF NATO.  IT 
         REMAINS FIRST AMONG EQUALS OF THE ALLIANCE.  IT WOULD 
         LIKE TO SEE NATO MOVE AT TIMES FURTHER GEOGRAPHICALLY --
         PERHAPS OUTSIDE OF EUROPE -- THAN THE EUROPEANS ARE 
         WILLING AT THIS POINT.  IT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE EUROPE
         DO MORE -- AND WE ARE SEEING AN EVOLUTION IN EUROPE 
         BECOMING MILITARILY AND POLITICALLY MORE CAPABLE OF 
         STANDING ON ITS OWN TWO FEET AND THEREFORE DOING MORE 
         ITSELF WITHOUT NECESSARILY HAVING THE UNITED STATES 
         PARTICIPATE IN THE MAJOR OR EVEN MINOR ROLE.  

                         // END ACT // 

OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS BY SOME EUROPEAN LEADERS 
FOR A REDUCED AMERICAN PRESENCE IN EUROPE.  MANY ANALYSTS SAY THE
EUROPEANS HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED THE IDEA PEACEKEEPING IN EUROPE 
SHOULD BE PRIMARILY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. 

FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLES KUPCHIN SAYS WE 
ARE SEEING THE HIGH WATER MARK OF AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT ON THE 
EUROPEAN CONTINENT.

                       // KUPCHIN ACT // 

         THE CRISIS IN KOSOVO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS GOING TO
         EXPEDITE CALLS FOR EUROPE TO CARRY MORE OF ITS OWN 
         DEFENSE BURDEN. BECAUSE ALREADY, YOU ARE SEEING PEOPLE 
         SAY : "WHY IS IT THAT THE UNITED STATES IS THE ONE THAT 
         HAS TO BAIL OUT THE EUROPEANS FROM THIS CRISIS?  WHY CAN
         NOT THEY KEEP THEIR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER?"  THOSE VOICES 
         ARE SOMEWHAT MUTED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES 
         IS AT WAR AND EVERYONE IS RALLYING AROUND THE FLAG.

                         // END ACT // 

BUT MR. KUPCHIN BELIEVES ONCE THE KOSOVO CRISIS IS OVER, THERE 
WILL BE INCREASED CALLS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR EUROPE TO DO 
MORE ON ITS OWN.  BUT HE DOES  NOT  BELIEVE THE UNITED STATES 
WILL TOTALLY WITHDRAW FROM EUROPE.

                    // SECOND KUPCHIN ACT // 

         I WOULD SAY RETRENCHMENT IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES 
         BECOMES A PARTNER, SENDS TROOPS AND PROVIDES SUPPORT, 
         BUT  NO  LONGER RUNS THE SHOW AND RUNS THE BULK OF THE 
         RISKS.  // OPT // BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, AMERICANS ARE 
         GOING TO SAY : "WHAT IS THE DEAL HERE? WHY ARE WE ALWAYS
         THE ONES WHO HAVE TO CARRY THE BURDEN AND RUNS THE COSTS
         AND RUN THE RISKS?" // END OPT //   I THINK AMERICANS 
         ARE PREPARED TO STAY THE COURSE IN EUROPE AND REMAIN A 
         PLAYER.  BUT I THINK THE CURRENT LEVEL OF EUROPEAN 
         STRATEGIC DEPENDENCE ON THE UNITED STATES IS 
         UNSUSTAINABLE OVER THE LONG TERM.

                         // END ACT // 

MOST ANALYSTS SEE THE UNITED STATES BEING INVOLVED IN EUROPEAN 
SECURITY AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT TWO-DECADES.  AFTER THAT, THEY SAY
WASHINGTON'S INVOLVEMENT IN EUROOE WILL DEPEND ON THE NEED FOR 
SECURITY FORCES IN EUROPE -- AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE 
EUROPEANS DEVELOP THEIR OWN SECURITY AND DEFENSE CAPABILITIES.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/ADEN/RAE

26-Apr-99 2:54 PM EDT (1854 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.