Enlargement Issues at NATO's Bucharest Summit (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised April 18, 2008 |
| Report Number |
RL34415 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Nichol, James P.;Gallis, Paul E.;Woehrel, Steven J.;Kim, Julie;Ek, Carl;Belkin, Paul |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
NATO held a summit in Bucharest on April 2-4, 2008. A principal issue was consideration of the candidacies for membership of Albania, Croatia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM, or the Republic of Macedonia). These states are small, with correspondingly small militaries, and their inclusion in the alliance cannot be considered strategic in a military sense. However, it is possible that they could play a role in the stabilization of southeastern Europe. The allies issued invitations only to Albania and Croatia.
At Bucharest NATO decided not to offer a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Georgia and Ukraine. The MAP is a viewed as a way station to membership. Russia's strong objection to the two countries' eventual membership, as well as internal separatist conflicts in Georgia and public opposition to allied membership in Ukraine were among factors leading to the two governments' failure to enter the MAP. Energy security for candidate states in a future round of enlargement may also prove to be an important issue. The Bush Administration supported the MAP for Georgia and Ukraine, but a number of allies opposed the idea. Both the Senate and House passed resolutions in the second session of the 110th Congress urging NATO to enter into a MAP with Georgia and Ukraine (S.Res. 439 and H.Res. 997, respectively).
An enduring dispute with Greece over Macedonia's formal name delayed Macedonia's entry. The allies expressed clear support for Macedonia's entry once the name dispute is resolved.
Process is important in Albania's and Croatia's efforts to join the alliance. Each of the current 26 allies agreed at Bucharest to extend invitations. By the end of July 2008, NATO will send a protocol on each successful candidate to all allied governments, which will follow their respective constitutional processes to admit a candidate. Again, unanimity is required for a state ultimately to join the alliance. In Congress, hearings will be held in the House and Senate. For states to be admitted, the Senate must pass a resolution of ratification by a two-thirds majority to amend NATO's founding treaty and commit the United States to defend new geographic space.
Costs of enlargement were a factor in the debate over NATO enlargement in the mid and late 1990s. The issue is less controversial today. Congress has passed legislation over the past 15 years, including in the 110th Congress, indicating its support for enlargement, as long as candidate states meet qualifications for allied membership. On April 9, 2007 President Bush signed into law the NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-17), expressing support for further NATO enlargement. House and Senate committees have recently held hearings to begin assessment of the qualifications of the candidate states. This report will be updated as needed. See also CRS Report RL31915, NATO Enlargement: Senate Advice and Consent, by Michael John Garcia.
