MEMBER STATES:

Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Holland, Canada, Great Britain, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Spain, The Check Republic, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, United States, Italy, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

THE ORIGINS OF THE ALLIANCE:

• The main purpose of NATO is to assure the freedom and security of all of its members through political and military means, according to The North Atlantic Treaty and to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
• As early as its beginnings, the Alliance made efforts in order to set up order and an enduring peace throughout Europe, based on the common value of democracy, law and human rights.
• NATO is the transatlantic connection through which the security of North America is in a continuous connection with the security of Europe.
• The main principle at the basis of the Alliance is a joint commitment to a mutual cooperation among the member states, taking into account the indivisibility of their particular security systems.
• The North Atlantic Treaty in April 1949- which is the legal and contractual basis of the Alliance- was established by Art. 51 of the United Nations Charter where there is stipulated the indefeasible right of the independent states to individual or collective defense.
• Based on the cooperation among states, The Alliance has the purpose to accomplish the security objectives of the member states and to provide the conditions of an equal security level, no matter the circumstances or the defense possibilities of the particular states.

In order to reach its main objective, The Alliance has the following fundamental mission:

• Provides the basic stability for security in Europe, starting from the development of the democratic institutions and from the need to peacefully solve the possible conflicts. The main idea is that no state is to turn to violence or intimidation against another European country or to impose hegemony;
• According to Art. 4 in the Treaty, The Alliance works as a consultative “transatlantic forum“, especially when there occurs a risk situation at the security of its members but also at any issue of vital interest to them;
• Offers the means of discouraging and defense against a NATO member state;
• Assures the strategic balance in Europe.

EVOLUTION:

• 1945 - the United Nations Charter is signed in San Francisco.
• 1948 - the Treaty on economic, social, cultural and self-defense matters cooperation by the foreign ministers in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Holland and Great Britain.
• 1949 - the singing, in Washington, of the North Atlantic Treaty by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway, Portugal, Great Britain and the United States.
• 1951 - in Ottawa, the member states sign an agreement on the NATO Status, on the national representatives and of the International Secretariat (The agreement on the civil status).
• 1952 - Greece and Turkey adhere to The North Atlantic Treaty. NATO opens its temporary headquarters in Palais de Chaillot, Paris.
• 1952 - in Paris takes place the first permanent meeting of the North-Atlantic Council.
• 1954 - signing the Peace Agreements in Paris. The Federal Republic of Germany is invited to join NATO; Italy and The Federal Republic of Germany adhere to The Western Europe Union (WEU).
• 1955 - The Federal Republic of Germany becomes a NATO member.
• 1967 - inauguration of the NATO Defense College in Rome.
• 1967 - the official opening of the New NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
• 1982 - Spain becomes a NATO member
• 1989 - the anniversary of forty years since the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty is celebrated by a special session of the North Atlantic Council as well as by ceremonies held at the NATO headquarters and in the capitals of the European countries.
• 29 - 30 May, 1989 - the summit in Brussels which is attended by Heads of state and of government. President Bush announces major new initiatives to cut down conventional forces in Europe.
• 1999 - three former communist countries, Hungary, The Check Republic and Poland, joined NATO.
• 21 - 22 November 2002 - at the meeting in Prague, seven countries were invited to start the adherence negotiations with the Alliance: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania. In 2004, the invited countries joined NATO. Albany and The Republic of Macedonia were informed that they did not meet the economical, political and military criteria and that will have to wait. Croatia made a request in 2002 and is at the beginning of the process.
• 13 September 2001 - NATO invoked an article of its charter which stipulates that any attack upon a member state is considered an attack upon the whole Alliance. This came as a response to the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.
• 10 February 2003 - NATO faced a serious crisis because France and Belgium prevented the tacit agreement procedure regarding the moment when protective measures must be taken for Turkey in case of a possible war with Iraq. Germany did not use its veto right, but said that it supported the veto.
• 2004 - Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia are the last states which adhered to the Alliance.

NATO Secretary Generals

• Lord Ismay (1952-1957)
• Paul-Henri Spaak (1957-1961)
• Dirk Stikker (1961-1964)
• Manlio Brosio (1964-1971)
• Joseph Luns (1971-1984)
• Lord Carrington (1984-1988)
• Manfred Wörner (1988-1994)
• Willy Claes (1994-1995)
• Javier Solana (1995-1999)
• Lord Robertson (1999-2003)
• Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (2004 - prezent)