10 Feb. 1999	Budgetary adjustments With the coming accession of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, an adjustment of the cost-sharing formulae for NATO's common-funded budgets and programmes has been necessary. These cost-sharing formulae determine how much each member country pays to NATO's civil and military headquarter structure and common military facilities. The cost shares of the three new member countries for activities with the participation of all 19 member countries have been agreed at 0.9% for the Czech Republic, 0.65% for Hungary and 2.48% for Poland. To accommodate these new contributions, the cost shares of the existing member countries have been adjusted. These changes will apply as from the date of accession of the three new members.
10 Feb. 1999	Political Committee in Ukraine From 10 to 12 February, NATO's Political Committee undertook its second visit to Ukraine since the signature of the NATO-Ukraine Charter in July 1997. Meetings in Kyiv with Foreign Minister Tarasyuk, with the State Interagency Committee of Ukraine for relations with NATO, and with members of the Foreign Relations and Security and Defence Committees of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) allowed the NATO representatives to gain a first-hand impression of current security concerns and views on NATO-Ukraine cooperation. NATO-Ukraine cooperation is now focused on the implementation of Ukraine's Individual Partnership Programme and on Information and Civil Emergency Planning. NATO will be sending two Liaison Officers to Kyiv in the near future to help foster cooperation. The NATO-Ukraine Summit in the context of the 23-25 April NATO Summit in Washington DC. will also strengthen relations.
10 Feb. 1999	Kosovo NATO is closely monitoring the negotiations at Rambouillet and continues with its military preparations should it be called upon at short notice to support the international community in implementing an Interim Agreement for Kosovo. If negotiations fail, it should be recalled that NATO decided, on 30 January, to authorise the Secretary General to order military action to bring about an end to the conflict. At the same time the NATO Extraction Force, under operation JOINT GUARANTOR and based in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1), is ready to assist the OSCE , if required, with the extraction of Kosovo Verification Mission observers and the NATO-led aerial surveillance over Kosovo continues under operation EAGLE EYE. 1. Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.

10 Feb. 1999	Science for Peace A further 80 projects have recently been selected for support under NATO's science programme, Science for Peace. So far, 30 Science for Peace projects are under way, involving the participation of 15 Partner countries and 11 NATO countries. They deal with a wide variety of environmental and industrial problems. More information on these projects will be available shortly on the NATO Science Programme.
10 Feb. 1999	Humanitarian assistance From 10 to 12 February, a workshop on "Humanitarian Aspects of Peacekeeping" co-sponsored by NATO and one of its Partners, Switzerland, took place in Geneva. Its aim was to promote mutual understanding on practical questions of cooperation and co-ordination among actors engaged in or concerned with humanitarian assistance in the context of peacekeeping. Participants with a direct interest in this issue were present. They included representatives from NATO and Partner countries, representatives from a number of international and European organisations as well as from non-governmental organisations, and military and other experts.
11 Feb. 1999	Secretary General in Canada Continuing his tour of NATO member countries and the three invited countries -the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland- before the Washington Summit in April, NATO Secretary General, Dr Javier Solana, visited Canada from 11 to 12 February. He met with Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy. He also addressed one of Canada's most influential business gatherings, the Empire Club of Canada at Toronto, and spoke at the National Press Club in Ottawa at which journalists from all media outlets are represented. Additional information: NATO Speeches: "Transatlantic Relations in the 21st Century" - Speech by the Secretary General at the Atlantic Council of Canada, Toronto
16 Feb. 1999	Battle Griffin 99 Approximately 20 000 soldiers are participating in a NATO exercise, Battle Griffin 99, from 16 February to 3 March in central Norway. The exercise involves the deployment of NATO forces in a crisis situation with the aim of practising the Alliance's readiness to secure the collective defence of its members. Land, sea, air and Home Guard Forces from 8 NATO countries (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States) are involved.