In May, NATO leaders will meet for the annual heads of state and government summit in Chicago. Absent from the summit’s agenda is the issue of enlargement—a pillar of the alliance. Since taking office, President Obama has done little to support the membership of qualified candidates. This year’s NATO summit provides an opportunity to correct this.
NATO’s “open door policy” is critical to mobilizing Europe and its allies around a collective transatlantic defense. According to Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, any European state that fulfills the requirements of the treaty and demonstrates the competency to contribute to the alliance’s security is eligible for membership.[1] The U.S. should take steps to make sure that the open door policy is not stifled.
Last week, Congress took a decisive stance on NATO enlargement with the introduction of the “NATO Enhancement Act of 2012,” sponsored by Senator Richard Lugar (R–IN). The bill emphasizes America’s leadership in expanding the alliance and calls on the State Department to provide a report assessing American commitment to enlargement.[2] Furthermore, the bill highlights several candidate countries in various stages of accession that would not only benefit from the alliance, but more importantly, would make it stronger.
Macedonia
Upon completing its Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 2008, Macedonia anticipated an invitation to join the alliance at the NATO summit in Bucharest. Yet, despite fulfilling all necessary requirements for membership, Macedonia’s accession was unilaterally vetoed by Greece, with whom Skopje is engaged in a long-standing dispute regarding its constitutional name.
Greece’s veto broke with the NATO convention that bilateral disputes do not preclude an aspiring country’s membership in the alliance. As found by the International Court of Justice last December, Greece’s veto was in blatant violation of the 1995 United Nations-brokered Interim Accord, in which Athens agreed not to impair Macedonia’s integration into Europe. Despite this, Macedonia’s status on membership remains unchanged.
Macedonia has little leverage in urging Greece to come to the bargaining table. Greece is already a NATO member, and Athens’s internal political dynamics are likely to delay the negotiation process.[3]Recent overtures by Skopje to the Greek government to seek a resolution have been brushed aside as Greece is grappling to form a new government and manage the collapse of its economy. Yet this is no excuse for procrastination. Greece has jeopardized NATO’s open door policy and should work with Macedonia to seek reconciliation.
