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Bringing together members of parliaments throughout the Atlantic Alliance, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has provided for half a century an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations, helping to build parliamentary and public consensus in support of Alliance policies.

At the same time, it has facilitated parliamentary awareness and understanding of key security issues and provided greater transparency of NATO policies. Crucially, it has also helped to maintain and strengthen the transatlantic relationship which underpins the Alliance

Since the end of the Cold War the Assembly has assumed a new role by integrating into its work parliamentarians from those countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and beyond who seek a closer association with NATO. This integration has provided both political and practical assistance and has contributed to the strengthening of parliamentary democracy throughout the Euro-Atlantic region, thereby complementing and reinforcing NATO’s own programme of partnership and co-operation.

HIGHLIGHTS

17 December 2009 - Assembly Members Respond to Characterization of US Congressional Participation in Edinburgh Session
An article in the on-line edition of the Wall Street Journal of 16 December 2009 (“Congress Travels More, Public Pays”) has generated strong reactions from Assembly members. It examines in detail the travel costs of the US Congressional Delegation for attending the Annual Session of the NATO PA in Edinburgh this past November and implies that the taxpayer’s money was misspent. However, the article pays no attention to the substance or newsworthy aspects of the Session itself that would enable readers to decide for themselves if their representative’s presence at the Session was worth the expense.

4 December 2009 - NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT JOHN TANNER WELCOMES COMITTMENT OF ADDITIONAL FORCES TO THE NATO MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN
In a statement issued today, Congressman John Tanner (US) gave his strong support to the US administration’s decision to commit an additional 30,000 troops to the mission in Afghanistan. “It is clear,” said Mr. Tanner, “that we need more boots on the ground. But this is not just an American effort: it is a NATO mission and a burden that we share with our allies.” He noted that the counter-insurgency strategy being implemented combines military, political and development tasks. “It is a massive challenge to get the balance right, but we now have a coherent strategy and the means to make significant progress.”

18 November 2009 - NATO PARLIAMENTARY SESSION CLOSES IN EDINBURGH
The 55th annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly closed in Edinburgh on Tuesday 17th November. Addressing the final plenary session, the Assembly’s President John Tanner called on the delegates to improve understanding of NATO missions among the populations of the various allies. “Many of our citizens seem unaware or misinformed about what NATO is and what it does” said the congressman from Tennessee, US. The Parliamentary Assembly has “an important role to play” in an improved NATO pubic communication strategy, said Tanner. “We need to be more proactive” in communicating NATO’s principles and activities “to the people of our countries” he added.

17 November 2009 - PAKISTAN SHOULD BE HIGHER ON THE AGENDA OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, SAYS NATO PA REPORT
The importance of Pakistan for regional and international security should not be underestimated, according to a report prepared by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Both NATO and the EU should engage more closely with Pakistan and neighbouring countries to help prevent the spread of instability in the country and further afield, said US Congressman Mike Ross in Edinburgh on Saturday. In his capacity as Rapporteur, Ross presented the report to the Assembly’s Political Committee, as the Assembly convened for its 55th session in the Scottish capital.

17 November 2009 - PIRACY ON THE RISE OFF SOMALIA – A “LONG-TERM REGIONAL SOLUTION” IS NEEDED SAYS EXPERT
Any lasting and effective initiative against the pirates in the Gulf of Aden must involve improved governance in Somalia, according to several presentations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Sunday. The Commanders of the NATO and EU Operations respectively, briefed a joint meeting of two of the Assembly’s five committees, while Rapporteur Lord Jopling (UK) presented his report on the issue. Lord Jopling argued for a “comprehensive approach, combining diplomacy, naval deployments and development assistance” in the region.