Extraordinary meeting of the Council with the participation of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia
Introduction by NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson
Wednesday, 26 March 2003

Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We meet today for an event that is good news for everyone concerned. Seven countries from across Europe are taking a great stride towards their common goal of membership of NATO's transatlantic security family. Doors closed for decades by the artificial divisions of the Cold War were opened lNovember at Prague and the seven invited countries are now moving smoothly through them. Today, the 19 Permanent Representatives to the North Atlantic Council will sign the Protocols of Accession to NATO for Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. This is - by far the largest number of countries ever to join NATO at once. Nothing could illustrate better the profound transformation of both Europe and our Atlantic Alliance.

Today's ceremony is a vindication of the vision of all those who have, for many years, sought to anchor their countries firmly to a Europe with which they share democratic values. This ceremony is a testament to the hard work of all those who have been involved in turning that vision into reality. Now we can look ahead with confidence to the process of ratification of the Protocols of Accession by NATO member states. And we look forward to the successful outcome of this process, and to welcoming our seven future Allies as full members at our next Summit in May 2004.

However, while the ratification process moves to the 19 Alliance capitals, NATO Allies expect the invited countries to continue to vigorously pursue the reform programmes they have pledged, to ensure that they can make a meaningful contribution to the Alliance. All seven countries have drawn up timetables for completion of necessary reforms which will enable them to do so, and they will continue to work through the Membership Action Plan, to carry forward these reforms. I am certain that future historians will recognise this decision to open NATO's doors as a turning point in the building of a Europe reunited and free: a Europe united in peace, democracy and common values, from the Baltics to the Balkans, from the Atlantic to the Black Sea.

A Europe united in an unbreakable bond with North America. And as NATO's Presidents and Prime Ministers said in Prague, today's invitees will not be the last. NATO?s door remains open. Joining NATO will bring enormous benefits to our new members. A seat at the table where key decisions are taken to shape and strengthen Euro-Atlantic security. A role in the planning and conduct of major military operations. And, of course, the ultimate security guarantee of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. To the Foreign Ministers of the seven invited countries gathered here today, let me, in the name of the North Atlantic Council, offer my deepest congratulations to you and your people.

You have shown vision and determination. You have made the deep changes and forced the pace of reform. You have made the grade and accepted the responsibilities of being a NATO member. In a time when we are constantly reminded not to take our security for granted, today's ceremony is a significant and inspiring example that if we stand firm in defence of our values, we can genuinely change history -- for our countries, and for the Euro-Atlantic Community we are building together. Together, we make our neighbourhood safer and more secure.

STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO, LORD ROBERTSON AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING THE SIGNATURE OF ACCESSION PROTOCOLS NATO HEADQUARTERS

Ladies and gentlemen,

In these difficult times, it is a pleasure to see you here at an event, which is quite simply, good news. The signing of the NATO accession protocols for Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia is another important step on the road to the biggest enlargement in the Alliance's history. This is our big bang. It marks a vital stage in the growth of a Euro Atlantic community, with great promise for security and stability on both sides of the Atlantic.

You have heard the formal statements made this afternoon. They speak for themselves and they all, I hope, convey the satisfaction and pleasure throughout this headquarters and this Alliance on this very special day. Soon the representatives of the seven governments who today took their seats temporarily at the NATO table will have the names of their countries permanently displayed at that table as full members. The new contours of the transatlantic security architecture are being drawn in front of your very eyes. NATO, by its power and unity won the cold war, and now it is restructuring, evolving and enlarging to play an equally important role in protecting our future security as well.

So the most important consequences of the accession protocols lie ahead. New members will bring fresh blood and ideas. They will also bring the experiences, often harsh, which taught them the true value of freedom, democracy and collective security. All seven countries worked very hard to meet the high standards characterising this Alliance. All of them have earned their invitation. Today's signature opens the way for the ratification process in the 19 NATO parliaments. It is a crucial phase where democratic review procedures will be exercised to the fullest by these national parliaments. The invitees must face the spotlight and they must continue to push through their reforms.

Joining NATO involves becoming a member of a team, and like all the best teams, success depends on everyone working together. The huge benefits also involve serious obligations. Their record so far provides the best reassurance that they are now going to rise to this challenge. Can I just say a little unscripted word, since in this audience today, I recognise so many of the press from the invited countries who have pursued me during the three and a half years that I have been Secretary General of NATO, asking exactly the same question in a thousand different varieties. I congratulate you and I thank you for your persistence but also for getting the message over of how important this whole process was. So the media is here and it is through the media, in NATO countries and in the invited nations? countries, that we get our message across, that we are an Alliance for the future and an Alliance strengthened today and making the world a safer and better place for future generations.