Loading ...On March 29, 2004 Romania became a fully fledged member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) together with another six states (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia) on the occasion of the ceremony during which the ratification instruments of the NATO accession protocols were deposited, a ceremony that was organized by the US State Department in Washington.
The number of the Alliance members thus increased to 26, this being the most extensive enlargement of the organization. The then Premier, Adrian Nastase, deposited the instruments for Romania's accession to NATO during a ceremony presided over by US Secretary of State Colin Powell and was received at the White House, together with the heads of government of the other six states, by US President George W Bush.
On March 29, 2004, Washington hosted the ceremony during which Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by depositing the official documents of ratification.
US President George W Bush, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the premiers of the states that were invited to join the NATO military structures during the summit in Prague (November 21-22, 2002) attended the ceremony. Romania's delegation was made up of Premier Adrian Nastase, presidential adviser Corina Cretu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mircea Geoana and Minister of National Defence Ioan Mircea Pascu.
The candidate states signed the accession protocols in Brussels during an extraordinary ceremony of the North Atlantic Council on March 26, 2003 and on March 29, 2004 these protocols came into force and were deposited with the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Government of the United States. One of the Romanian foreign policy priorities after 1989 was Romania's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.
As early as July 1990 Romania voiced wish to join the political and military structures of the North Atlantic Alliance. During the summit at the level of heads of state and government , which was held in Brussels in January 1994, the North Atlantic Alliance decided to open the doors of the Alliance to the former communist countries in keeping with Article 10 of the Washington Treaty stipulating acceptance of new members and launched the Partnership for Peace.
This initiative opened up a new chapter as regards the cooperation between the North Atlantic Alliance and the states in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia for consolidating the Euro-Atlantic stability and security through cooperation and dialogue among the participating states. On January 26, 1994 Romania was the first country to sign the framework document of the Partnership for Peace and on December 20, 1991 it became a founder member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council.
The NATO enlargement process started in Brussels and effectively took shape in Madrid by the accession of the three states in Central and Eastern Europe , the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, and was a tortuous road on which the Bucharest officials directed their attention to the political, economic and especially military reforms.
During the Washington Summit in April 1999 the NATO stated again the pledge taken by the Alliance to invite states from the centre and east of Europe in the near future. The Alliance also presented the Membership Action Plan, which laid the foundations of a mechanism meant to prepare and evaluate the candidate countries individually.
The concerted efforts of the decision making factors in Romania meant to attain the aims of the NATO National Accession Plan and the active efforts made by the Romanian diplomacy led to the leaders of the NATO member states making the decision in Prague.
Last but not least the Alliance officials remarked Romania's efforts as regards ensuring the stability and security of the Balkans during the missions carried out by the Alliance. The then US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright , was a constant supporter of Romania's efforts to join NATO.
After the terrorist attacks in the United States of America on September 11, 2001 Romania's Parliament decided, by a overwhelming majority, on Romania's participation in the fight against international terrorism with all its means, the military ones included, as a NATO de facto ally.
Romania also offered the NATO access to its air, maritime and terrestrial space. All the studies that were made in Romania in the course of time pointed to a strong support of the public opinion given to the NATO integration, over 85 percent of this country's citizens firmly supporting Romania's accession to NATO.
The year 2002 was marked by the NATO enlargement process, most factors making political decisions in the NATO member states repeatedly voicing option for a "robust enlargement" by seven new members: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The NATO Summit in Prague, which was held between November 21 and 22, 2002, marked an important step in the evolution of the most powerful collective defence organization in history. As for Romania the Prague moment will stay a reference moment in the progress of this country.
The domestic progress and the speeding up of the reform process as well as Romania taking part in peacekeeping and stabilization operations in conflict regions in the Balkans and Afghanistan and the firm pledge to join the fight against terrorism were strong arguments for inviting Romania to join the most powerful political and military alliance in history.
By the invitation extended to Romania in Prague to become a NATO member state they attained a major aim of Romania's foreign policy, which was consistently promoted by all the governments after 1989.
Loading ...
Comentează acest articol