2001 Annual Session Resolution on Missile Defence and Arms Control presented by the Defence and Security Committee Ottawa, 9 October 2001 The Assembly, Recognising that the issue of strategic missile defence has led to differences of opinion that may strain the unity of the North Atlantic Alliance; Aware that the proliferation of technology for ballistic missiles and for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons poses new threats to Alliance members and other friendly nations throughout the world; Recalling that Article 6 of the Washington Treaty states that NATO's guarantee of collective defence extends to both Europe and North America; Realising that each Alliance member must take all necessary steps to defend its territory, citizens and armed forces; Recognising that the adversarial relationships that characterised the Cold War no longer serve the security interests of the Alliance or Russia; Reaffirming its support for continued reductions in nuclear weapons, including the possibility that the United States may dramatically reduce the size of its nuclear arsenal; Supporting the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States and Russia, which has contributed greatly to international security through a binding, verifiable arms control regime that has built mutual trust and confidence; Recognising that a new strategic framework that replaces the concept of mutual assured destruction with a more co-operative approach to security and arms control should govern the relationship between the United States and Russia; Fearing that strategic missile defences could lead other states to increase their strategic missile arsenals so as to overcome those defences, leading to a nuclear arms race; URGES the member governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance: to work towards further reductions in nuclear weapons through either a formal treaty regime or informal co-ordinated and co-operative reductions; to discourage other states from increasing their nuclear arsenals; to strengthen efforts, such as the Missile Technology Control Regime, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Chemical Weapons Convention, which are intended to halt the proliferation of ballistic missiles and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; to establish an effective verification and compliance regime for the Biological Weapons Convention that would effectively deter countries seeking to develop biological weapons; to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures; to implement the Defence Capabilities Initiative, addressing in particular the concerns that have been expressed about shortcomings in defence against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; to strengthen co-operation with one another, with members of the Partnership for Peace, and with other friendly countries in protecting civilian populations against attacks involving nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; to continue support for the Alliance's Theatre Missile Defence programme.

© NATO Parliamentary Assembly