2001 Annual Session Resolution on NATO Enlargement presented by the Political Committee Ottawa, 9 October 2001 The Assembly, Stressing the positive impact of the last Enlargement round for NATO security and the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area as a whole; Reaffirming that the Alliance is open to any democratic European country that is willing and able to further the principles of the Washington Treaty and to contribute to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area; Praising the nine applicant countries for their progress achieved in the political, economic, legal, defence and security fields; Encouraging applicant countries to continue necessary reform processes and participate in existing programmes which help prepare to meet the criteria for membership; Stressing the central role of NATO partnership programmes, particularly the Partnership for Peace (PfP) and the Membership Action Plan (MAP), to enhance co-operation and understanding; Welcoming the support provided by the Alliance and Member states for NATO applicants as well as PfP participant countries; Applauding the Alliance for keeping further enlargement as a top priority as reconfirmed at the 13 June 2001 North Atlantic Council meeting with the Heads of State and Government; CALLS on the applicant countries to focus on making necessary changes in their legislation to enable efficient co-operation with NATO; URGES member governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance: to extend invitations at the 2002 Prague Summit for accession talks to all applicant countries that managed to achieve a level of preparedness in all 5 chapters of the MAP enabling them to assume the obligations and responsibilities of membership and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area; to develop a comprehensive strategy for the ongoing enlargement process which entails an enhanced MAP that specifies the requirements based on criteria for applicant countries upon which NATO governments and parliaments will consider extending an invitation for membership; to reinvigorate the NATO-Russia Founding Act to develop a close partnership with Russia with an emphasis on common approaches to peace keeping, non-proliferation, disarmament and countering international terrorism as well as close co-operation on the reorganisation and reform of its armed forces; to encourage the European Union to admit applicant States that meet EU qualifications, as part of the process of building stability in Europe; to begin accession negotiations immediately after the 2002 Prague Summit with those countries that fulfil the criteria set by the MAP; to further strengthen existing co-operation and outreach programmes, especially the PfP, and to continue building partnerships with all interested countries in the Euro-Atlantic area.

© NATO Parliamentary Assembly