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<TITLE>U.S. Ambassador Walter Stadtler...Partnership for Peace: a U.S. View</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+4">Partnership for Peace: a
U.S. View</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+3">Ambassador Walter Stadtler</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><I><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+2">Office of the U.S.
Secretary of Defense</FONT></FONT></I></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">While I have been asked to give
an American perspective on the Partnership for Peace, I will offer "a
view," rather than "the view," because the PFP process
began too recently for a definitive notion to emerge. In order to put the
Partnership for Peace into perspective, we must return to the beginnings
of NATO itself more than four decades ago. We were then in the early
post-war period--a time of economic, political, and social fragility in
Western Europe. There was uncertainty about the ability of some economies
and industries to survive, and fear that political instability would grow.
After NATO was founded, the NATO shield started to provide protection and
an umbrella for a Europe that was to become very stable, prosperous, and
secure.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The conditions that then
prevailed in Western Europe may now exist in some of the countries that
are presently joining the Partnership for Peace. Moreover, the timing is
right. Today, there is more flexibility in the Partnership for Peace than
existed at the creation of NATO, which occurred during a time of crisis.
The current flexibility will allow both those who are interested in
becoming members of Partnership for Peace and NATO itself to decide how
they want to draw up the relationship. This is important, because a union
that is voluntary tends to be more durable and happier, too.</FONT></FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">With the many problems that
exist in today's world, sharing a commonality of interests will help
restore flexibility and wipe away ignorance by making it possible to get
to know each other better and build up respect between nations. And as the
Partnership for Peace grows larger, it will have the potential to turn the
Alliance into what could very well become a global alliance, stretching
from Alaska in the East to Siberia in the West. This is because we can all
assume that the Russian Federation will sooner or later join as a member.</FONT></FONT>
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