Frequently asked questions

Q: What does NATO do?

A: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is an alliance of 26 countries from North America and Europe committed to fulfilling the goals of the North Atlantic Treaty signed on 4 April 1949. In accordance with the Treaty, the fundamental role of NATO is to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries by political and military means. NATO is playing an increasingly important role in crisis management and peacekeeping.

Q: Does NATO have its own armed forces?

A: All member countries that participate in the military aspect of the Alliance contribute forces and equipment, which together constitute the integrated military structure of the Alliance. These forces and assets remain under national command and control until a time when they are required by NATO a specific purpose (i.e. conflict or crisis, peacekeeping). NATO, however, does possess some common capabilities owned and operated by the Alliance, such as the AWACS early warning radar aircraft.

Q: What are the conditions for joining NATO? Which countries are eligible?

A: NATO has an open door policy with regard to enlargement. Any European country in a position to further the principles of the Washington Treaty and contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area can become a member of the Alliance at the invitation of the North Atlantic Council.

Countries aspiring for NATO membership are also expected to meet certain political, economic and military goals in order to ensure that they will become contributors to Alliance security as well as beneficiaries of it.

NATO’s Membership Action Plan (MAP) is designed to assist aspirant partner countries in their preparations by providing a framework which enables NATO to channel assistance and practical support to them on all aspects of NATO membership.

Q: What is NATO’s position on Iraq?

A: The campaign against Iraq in 2003 was conducted by a coalition of forces from different countries, some of which were NATO member countries and some were not. NATO as an organisation had no role in the campaign but undertook a number of measures in accordance with Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, to ensure the security of one of its members, Turkey, in the event of a threat to it resulting from the war in Iraq. On 21 May 2003, the Alliance also agreed to support Poland, a member of NATO, in its leadership of a sector in the stabilization force in Iraq.

In August 2004, in response to a request by the Iraqi Interim Government, NATO established a Training Implementation Mission in Iraq. NATO is involved in training, equipping, and technical assistance - not combat. The aim of the Mission is to help Iraq build the capability of its Government to address the security needs of the Iraqi people.

Q: What is NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism?

A: On 12 September 2001, less than 24 hours after the terrorist attacks against the United States, NATO declared the attacks to be an attack against all the 19 NATO member countries within the terms of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

This landmark decision was followed by practical measures aimed at assisting the United States in different fields, in relation to its campaign against terrorism.

Q: Is NATO involved in Afghanistan?

A: Yes. Through its leadership of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), NATO is helping establish the conditions in which Afghanistan can enjoy a representative government and self-sustaining peace and security.

NATO took over command and coordination of ISAF in August 2003. This is the first mission outside the Euro-Atlantic area in NATO’s history. Initially restricted to providing security in and around Kabul, the Alliance is now in the process of expanding the mission to cover other parts of the country.

Q: What is Russia’s status – is it a partner country?

A: Yes. NATO and Russia made a reciprocal commitment to work together to build a stable, secure and undivided continent on the basis of partnership and common interest in 1997.

This commitment was strengthened in May 2002, with the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council, which brings together the 26 NATO Allies and Russia to identify and pursue opportunities for joint action at 27 as equal partners.

Q: What are the official languages of NATO?

A: The two official languages of NATO are English and French.
Q: How much does NATO cost and who pays for it?
A: NATO is an intergovernmental organisation to which member nations allocate the resources needed to enable it to function on a day-to-day basis. There are three budgets: one civil and two military. Each NATO member country pays an amount into the budgets based on an agreed cost-sharing formula. Taken together, these budgets represent less than half of one percent of the total defence budget expenditures of NATO countries.

Q: What are some recommended books on NATO?

A: Publications from the NATO Public Diplomacy Division provide a lot of useful information and are available at the following URL : http://www.nato.int/docu/

Those who are interested in the history and the beginnings of the Organisation can read :
* NATO : The First Five Years : 1949-1954 by Lord Ismay, which is in fact the first NATO handbook.

This text has been digitised by the NATO Archives and is available at this URL : http://www.nato.int/archives/1st5years/index.htm

Even if a real history of the Organisation is still to be written, two books can be of interest :

* A History of NATO : The First Fifty Years / edited by Gustav Schmidt. - Houndmills, UK : Palgrave, 2001. - 3 vol.
* Histoire de l'OTAN / Charles Zorgbibe - Bruxelles : Complexe, 2002. - (Questions Histoire de l'OTAN / Charles Zorgbibe - Bruxelles : Complexe, 2002. - (Questions ? l'Histoire)

and also:

* L'Alliance atlantique et l'OTAN, 1949-1999 : un demi-si?cle de succ?s / sous la direction de Pierre Pascallon. - Bruxelles : Bruylant, 1999. - (Organisation internationale et relations internationales ; 51)

On the relationship between NATO and the United States:

* The Long Entanglement : NATO's First Fifty Years / Lawrence S. Kaplan. - Westport, CT : Praeger, 1999.

On NATO enlargement:

* Almost NATO : Partners and Players in Central and Eastern European Security / edited by Charles Krupnick. - Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield, 2003.
Opening NATO's Door : How the Alliance Remade Itself for a New Era / Ronald D. Asmus. - New York : Columbia University Press, 2002.