Table Of ContentTHE NATO HANDBOOK
50th Anniversary Edition
Office of Information and Press
NATO - 1110 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
1998
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NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION
(NATO)
MEMBER COUNTRIES
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Turkey, United Kingdom and UnitedStates.
The North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington in April 1949, created an
Alliance for collective defence as defined in Article51 of the United Nations
Charter. The Treaty is of indefinite duration. The Alliance links 14European
countries with the United States and Canada.
In July 1997, at a Summit Meeting in Madrid, the Heads of State and Government
of the Alliance invited the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland to begin
accession talks with a view to becoming members of the Alliance by 1999. In
accordance with Article10 of the Treaty, the Alliance remains open to future
accessions by other European states in a position to further its principles and
to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.
In parallel with the internal and external transformation of the Alliance which
has taken place since the end of the Cold War, NATO has established a new
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council as a forum for consultation and cooperation
with Partner countries throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. It has created new
structures reflecting intensified cooperation with Russia and partnership with
Ukraine as well as an enhanced dialogue with interested Mediterranean
countries. It has undergone far-reaching internal and external reform and has
made itself the instrument of peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area as it
enters the new millennium.
The fourth of April 1999 marks the 50th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty.
The NATO Emblem, which appears on the cover of this book, was adopted as the
symbol of the Atlantic Alliance by the North Atlantic Council in October 1953. The
circle is the symbol of unity and cooperation and the compass rose suggests the common
road to peace taken by the 16 member countries of the Atlantic Alliance.
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NOTE
The NATO Handbook is issued by the NATO Office of Information
and Press as a reference book on the Alliance and on Alliance polices.
The formulations which are used reflect as closely as possible the con-
sensus among the member nations which is the basis for all Alliance
decisions. However the Handbook is not a formally agreed NATO
document and therefore may not necessarily represent the official opin-
ions or positions of individual member governments on every issue dis-
cussed.
The NATO Handbook - Documentation and the NATO Handbook -
Chronology are published separately as companion volumes to this edi-
tion. Copies may be obtained from the Distribution Unit, NATO Office of
Information and Press, NATO - 1110 Brussels. The NATO Handbook
and the companion volumes will also be made available on NATO’s web
site (www.nato.int).
The information contained in the NATO Handbook covers events
and policy developments up to the end of May 1998. Appendices listing
members of the North Atlantic Council, Military Representatives and
officials are correct at the time of going to press (September 1998).
ISBN 92-845-0104-0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Foreword by the Secretary General 11
Preface 15
Chapter 1 - What is NATO?
Core Functions 23
Origins 25
NATO Today 27
Chapter 2 - The Principal Policy and Decision-Making Institu-
tions of the Alliance
The North Atlantic Council 35
The Defence Planning Committee 38
The Nuclear Planning Group 39
Key to the Principal NATO Committees 39
Chapter 3 - The Transformation of the Alliance
Europe’s New Security Environment 59
The Strategic Concept of the Alliance 65
The Role of Allied Military Forces and the Transformation of the
Alliance’s Defence Posture 69
Building the European Security and Defence Identity
within the Alliance 75
Chapter 4 - The Opening Up of the Alliance
The Invitation to New Member Countries 81
Origins and Development of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council 84
Partnership for Peace 86
Enhancement of the Partnership for Peace Programme 92
Cooperation between NATO and Russia 97
NATO’s Partnership with Ukraine 102
The Alliance’s Mediterranean Dialogue 105
Key to the Institutions of Cooperation, Partnership and Dialogue 107
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Chapter 5 - The Alliance’s Operational Role in Peacekeeping
The Process of Bringing Peace to the Former Yugoslavia 113
The NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) 120
The NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) 123
The Furtherance of the Peace Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina 127
Chapter 6 - The Alliance’s Role in Arms Control
Arms Control Policy and NATO’s Comprehensive Concept 132
The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) 133
Verification and Implementation of Arms Control Agreements 134
Nuclear Arms Control and the Challenges of Proliferation 141
Chapter 7 - Policy and Decision-Making
Consensus Politics and Joint Decision-Making 147
Crisis Management 150
The Defence Dimension 151
Nuclear Policy 155
Economic Cooperation 158
Public Information 161
Chapter 8 - Programmes and Activities
Consumer Logistics 171
Armaments Cooperation, Planning and Standardisation 178
Communications and Information Systems 181
Civil /Military Coordination of Air Traffic Management 182
Air Defence 183
Civil Emergency Planning 185
Scientific Cooperation and Environmental Challenges 189
Chapter 9 - Common-Funded Resources:
NATO Budgets and Financial Management
The Principles of Common-Funding 198
Cost Sharing 200
Civil Budget 201
Military Budget 202
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The NATO Security Investment Programme 202
Resource Management 203
Financial Management 204
Financial Control 206
Chapter 10 - Organisation and Structures
NATO Headquarters 215
Permanent Representatives and National Delegations 215
The Secretary General 215
The International Staff 217
Office of the Secretary General 219
Executive Secretariat 219
Office of Information and Press 220
Office of Security 221
Division of Political Affairs 221
Division of Defence Planning and Operations 223
Division of Defence Support 225
NATO Headquarters Consultation, Command and Control 228
Staff (NHQC3S)
Division of Security Investment, Logistics and
Civil Emergency Planning 228
Division of Scientific and Environmental Affairs 230
Office of Management 231
Office of the Financial Controller 231
Office of the Chairman of the Senior Resource Board 232
Office of the Chairman of the Budget Committees 232
International Board of Auditors 232
NATO Production and Logistics Organisations 232
Chapter 11 - Military Organisation and Structures
The Military Committee 234
The Chairman of the Military Committee 237
Major NATO Commanders 237
International Military Staff 239
Chapter 12 - The Military Command Structure
The Role of Integrated Military Forces 245
The Current Military Command Structure 247
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Evolution of the New Military Structure 258
The Shape of the Future Military Command Structure 263
The Next Phase 269
Chapter 13 - Key to Organisations and Agencies
Subordinate Bodies established by the Council and by 277
other Decision-making Forums in NATO
Consumer Logistics 279
Production Logistics 283
Standardisation 285
Civil Emergency Planning 288
Air Traffic Management, Air Defence 289
Airborne Early Warning 290
Communication and Information Systems 292
Radio Frequency Management 294
Electronic Warfare 295
Meteorology 296
Research and Technology 297
Education and Training 301
Project Steering Committees and Project Offices 308
Chapter 14 - The Wider Institutional Framework for Security
The United Nations 313
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 316
The European Union (EU) 325
The Western European Union (WEU) 331
The Council of Europe 340
Chapter 15 - Parliamentary and Non-Governmental
Organisations
North Atlantic Assembly (NAA) 347
Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) 350
Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) 355
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Members of the North Atlantic Council 363
Appendix 2 Secretaries General of NATO 365
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Appendix 3 Members of the Military Committee 367
Appendix 4 Heads of Diplomatic Missions
and Liaison Offices of Partner Countries 369
Appendix 5 Principal Officials of the International Staff 371
Appendix 6 Major NATO Commanders 373
Appendix 7 Abbreviations in Common Use 375
Appendix 8 Sources of Further Information 391
List of Illustrations
NATO’s Civil and Military Structure 36
Principal NATO Committees 40
Principal Institutions of Partnership Cooperation and Dialogue 108
NATO International Staff 216
Divisions of the International Staff 218
NATO’s Military Structure 235
The International Military Staff 238
The Current Military Structure
- Allied Command Europe 250
- Allied Command Atlantic 257
The Future Military Structure
- Allied Command Europe 265
- Allied Command Atlantic 267
The North Atlantic Treaty 395
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