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| Updated: March 2005 | NATO Publications |
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Briefing: Weapons of mass destruction 1. Countering weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction pose a serious risk to the populations, territory and forces of NATO member countries and to international security as a whole. Even before the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the use or threatened use of weapons of mass destruction has been a concern of the Alliance.
At the April 1999 Washington Summit, NATO launched a Weapons of Mass Destruction Initiative to address the risks posed by the proliferation of these weapons and their means of delivery. The Initiative is designed to promote understanding of weapons of mass destruction issues, develop ways of responding to them, improve intelligence and information sharing, and enhance existing Allied military readiness to operate in a weapons of mass destruction environment and counter threats posed by these weapons. The Weapons of Mass Destruction Centre at NATO Headquarters was established in 2000 to support this Initiative. The work of the Centre is being enhanced in order to assist the work of the Alliance in tackling the challenge of these weapons. Alliance efforts to counter weapons of mass destruction cover a wide range of activities. In addition to military measures, the Alliance supports arms control and non-proliferation. Activities to counter weapons of mass destruction also include civil emergency planning and science programmes. Countering weapons of mass destruction is an important aspect of NATO's various partnerships. 
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