U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
95/05/19 Fact Sheet: NATO Partnership for Peace
Bureau of Public Affairs



Fact Sheet:  NATO Partnership for Peace


What It Is

--   A U.S. initiative, Partnership for Peace (PFP) was launched by 
the January 1994 NATO summit to establish strong links between 
NATO, its new democratic partners in the former Soviet bloc, and 
some of Europe's traditionally neutral countries to enhance European 
security.

--  It provides a framework for enhanced political and military 
cooperation for joint multilateral crisis management activities, 
such as humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping.

--  It enables PFP members to consult with NATO when faced with a 
direct threat to its security but does not extend NATO security 
guarantees. Participation in PFP does not guarantee entry into NATO, 
but it is the best preparation for states interested in becoming 
NATO members. 


Who Has Joined

--  26 countries:  Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, 
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Poland, 
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, 
Uzbekistan.  


How It Works

--  Once a country has joined the PFP, it submits a Presentation 
Document to NATO explaining what resources it will contribute to 
PFP activities and the steps that it will take to meet PFP political 
goals, such as democratic control of the military.  To date, Albania, 
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, 
Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, 
Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Ukraine have submitted Presentation 
Documents.

--  A unique Individual Partnership Program (IPP), is then agreed to 
with the alliance. IPPs set forth shared objectives, (for instance, 
establishing democratic control over military forces; developing 
transparency in defense planning and budgetary processes; 
developing inter-operability with NATO forces) and list activities 
planned to meet those objectives.  

--  NATO has reached agreement on IPPs with Albania, Bulgaria, 
Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, 
Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden. IPPs  for several other partners are 
under consideration.

--  Partners can assign personnel on a full-time basis to NATO 
Headquarters in Brussels and to the Partnership Coordination Cell 
(PCC) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in 
Mons, Belgium.   

--  Partners may participate in an optional Defense Planning and 
Review Process (PARP) designed to evaluate and enhance a partner 
nation's interoperability with NATO. Participating states work with 
NATO to develop interoperability objectives, which can be used to 
help refine IPPs. As of May 12, 14 partnersŸAlbania, Bulgaria, Czech 
Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, 
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and UkraineŸare participating 
in PARP.


PFP Joint Military Exercises

--  1994. Three joint military exercises were held, including 
"Cooperative Bridge" in Poland marking the first time NATO forces 
had  joined with former adversaries on the territory of a former 
Warsaw Pact state.  

--  1995. 11 exercises are planned in field, maritime, search and 
rescue, and command post functions. The U.S. will host a PFP field 
training exercise at Fort Polk, Louisiana in August.   


U.S. Policy in Brief

"NATO's Partnership for Peace will strengthen its ties to Central 
Europe and to the New Independent States. NATO will move forward 
with its steady and deliberate process to accept new members, 
following the approach laid out by the NATO ministers last 
December. And we will seek a stronger relationship between NATO 
and Russia in parallel with NATO expansion. In the process of NATO 
expansion, each potential member will be judged individually, 
according to its capabilities and its commitment to the principles of 
the NATO treaty. The fundamental decisions will be made by NATO, in 
consultation with potential members. The process will be 
transparent to all and there will be no vetos by third parties."

                        ---Secretary Christopher, March 29,1995  


May 19, 1995
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