After the Madrid Summit: Parliamentary Ratification of NATO Enlargement

摘要

The prospects are reasonably good that all 16 NATO nations will eventually ratify the NATO accession protocols for new members. However, it may be difficult to meet the informal goal of April 1999 for new members' full admission into NATO. For parliamentary ratification to move in a timely manner, the accession negotiations between NATO and invited countries will have to be completed quickly-perhaps by December 1997. Six European nations, for different reasons, may require a special effort to ensure ratification. The process would be enhanced by early U.S. Senate ratification. Progress in the NATO-Russia Charter and enlargement costs are likely to be the two major issues of contention in parliaments.