PRESS INFO 4 July 1997

The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council The development and enhancement of dialogue and partnership with Cooperation Partners forms an integral part of NATO's Strategic Concept. The creation of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) at the end of 1991 established a framework for dialogue and cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the newly independent states emerging from the former Soviet Union. Membership of the NACC increased from 25 countries in 1991 to 40 countries by 1997. Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as participants in Partnership for Peace (PfP) (see Fact Sheet), had observer status in the NACC. Building upon the success of NACC and PfP, allied and Cooperation Partner Foreign Ministers inaugurated the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) at their meeting in Sintra, Portugal, on 30 May 1997, with a view to raising political and military cooperation among their countries to a qualitatively new level. The Ministers approved an EAPC Basic Document developed in close cooperation between the Alliance and Partners. In so doing, Ministers reaffirmed their joint commitment to strengthening and extending peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and to cooperating to this end on the basis of shared values and principles, notably those set out in the Framework Document of the Partnership for Peace. The EAPC, as the successor to NACC, provides the overarching framework for political and security-related consultations and for enhanced cooperation under PfP. The expanded political dimension of consultation and cooperation which the EAPC offers, allows Partners, if they wish, to develop a direct political relationship with the Alliance. In addition, the EAPC provides the framework for giving Partner countries increased decision-making opportunities relating to activities in which they participate. The EAPC meets twice a year at both Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers level and, as a general rule, at Ambassadorial level in Brussels on a monthly basis. It may also meet at the level of Heads of State or Government, when appropriate. Membership There are 44 EAPC members, including all 16 NATO member countries plus: Albania Hungary Slovenia Armenia Kazakstan Sweden Austria Kyrgyz Republic Switzerland Azerbaijan Latvia Tajikistan Belarus Lithuania the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Bulgaria Moldova Turkmenistan Czech Republic Poland Ukraine Estonia Romania Uzbekistan Finland Russia Georgia Slovakia Activities At the time of its establishment, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council adopted the existing NACC Work Plan for Dialogue, Partnership and Cooperation, which includes regular consultations on political and security-related matters as well as other activities mentioned below. By the time of the 1997 Autumn EAPC Meeting, a new Work Plan will be drawn up to implement the EAPC Basic Document. Initially, the EAPC Work Plan can be expected to follow a similar pattern to the work of the NACC and is likely to include the following topics : political consultations on specific political and security related matters such as crisis management; regional matters; arms control issues; nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) proliferation and defence issues; international terrorism; defence planning and budgets and defence policy and strategy; security impacts of economic developments. There will also be scope for consultations and cooperation on issues such as civil emergency and disaster preparedness; armaments cooperation under the aegis of the NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD); nuclear safety; defence related environmental issues; civil-military coordination of air traffic management and control; scientific cooperation; and issues related to peace support operations. Additional areas for cooperation within the framework of the EAPC may be added subsequently. Cooperation on defence-related issues, in the military field and in the sphere of peacekeeping (including exercises) will continue as Partnership for Peace activities. Further examples of continuing activities in the framework of the EAPC, focusing on consultation and cooperation, are as follows : Economic issues The Economic Committee's work with Cooperation Partners focuses on defence budgets and their relationship with the economy; security aspects of economic developments; and defence conversion issues. Expert meetings, seminars and workshops are held to address these subjects. Databases and pilot projects are being developed in the field of defence conversion with a view to practical application in Cooperation Partner countries. The annual NATO Colloquium on economic developments in EAPC countries also brings together experts for exchanges of views on relevant economic topics. Information matters In the field of information, the NATO Committee on Information and Cultural Relations meets with representatives of Cooperation Partners annually to discuss the implementation of cooperative information activities. Cooperative programmes organised by the NATO Office of Information and Press include visits, co-sponsored seminars and conferences, publications and Democratic Institutions Fellowships. Assistance is provided by Missions of Cooperation Partner countries in Brussels and by Contact Point Embassies of NATO countries in Partner capitals. Scientific and environmental issues NATO's Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS) meets with Cooperation Partners at least once a year. An extensive programme of cooperative activities in scientific and environmental affairs focuses on such priority areas as disarmament technologies, environmental security, high technology, science and technology policy, and computer networking. In addition, NATO Science Fellowships are awarded to both NATO and Cooperation Partner scientists for study or research. Several hundred scientists from Cooperation Partner countries now participate in NATO's scientific and environmental programmes.