NATO: "Open-Door" Policy (Hansard, 19 October 1998)

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, the phrase "Open Door" policy is shorthand for NATO's enlargement policy. As the Prime Minister said in another place on 9th July 1997 following the NATO summit in Madrid, NATO leaders agreed that they expected in the years ahead to extend further invitations to nations willing to take on the responsibilities of membership, whose inclusion would serve the interests of the Alliance and enhance overall European security".—[Official Report, Commons, 9/7/97; col. 938.] That remains our policy and applies to applicants from central Europe.

The Earl of Carlisle
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that positive Answer which will give great encouragement to the nations of central Europe, not least, the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Will the noble Baroness assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will give urgent consideration to the views of Mr. Brzezinski, who in a recent article suggested that at the Washington summit in April 1999 one nation from the north of central Europe and one from the south of central Europe—Lithuania and Slovenia, respectively, which are the nations that have most readily matched the criteria for entry—should be admitted as soon as possible?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, the alliance has not made any decision about whether to issue further invitations at the Washington summit to which the noble Earl referred. We believe that NATO's priority should be the successful integration into NATO of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, both politically and militarily. There are no special cases. However, the noble Earl will recall that the Prime Minister also said to the House of Commons on 9th July 1997 at col. 937 after the Madrid summit that applications from Romania and Slovenia were being, especially closely considered even though there was no consensus to invite them on this occasion".

§ Lord Hardy of Wath
My Lords, does my noble friend consider that the WEU Partnership for Peace arrangements can serve as a satisfactory staging post for those member states in Europe which feel disappointment but which cannot sensibly be assimilated with the urgency that they want?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, the Partnership for Peace arrangements provide what my noble friend described as a sensible "staging post". As well as the WEU, a number of bilateral activities particularly engage the United Kingdom. I refer, for example, to our bilateral defence relationships with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania which are excellent, as the noble Earl, Lord Carlisle, has reminded us on a number of occasions. The WEU is acting as an essential part of the development of those nations which have made applications and which are waiting to see what happens in relation to the open door policy not only next year but on a longer-term basis.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the recent steps to recognise the position of the Russian speaking minority in Latvia and in other Baltic states are extremely helpful in bringing about a peaceful integration of the Baltics into the Western structures with the support and agreement of Russia? Does the Minister accept that it is vitally important to maintain close relations with the Russians through Partnership for Peace in order to make that possible?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I agree wholeheartedly with what the noble Baroness has said. We are particularly pleased to see the recent changes in Latvia in relation to Russian minorities. As I described a moment or two ago, the United Kingdom has undertaken a number of bilateral activities in relation to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. We are enormously encouraged by the activities of all three of those Baltic states in trying to ensure the integration of their Russian minorities. That obviously helps not only in relation to NATO applications but also in relation to their EU membership which is going forward.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, will the Government keep the phrase "open door" under continuous review because it suggests that anyone at any time would be welcome? For instance, we could start with the Congo and go on with Myanmar if the door were really open.

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, there is a difference between having an open door and inviting someone to step through it. We have made it perfectly clear who is invited to step through it at the moment. The criteria upon which such invitations are put forward is that enlargement for NATO's political and military cohesion should continue and should enhance European security and stability. Those are the basic criteria which will be considered in relation to the open door policy.

§ Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, as regards NATO and European Union future membership, does the Minister support the policy that the nations supposedly in the second wave such as Bulgaria may still come in as soon as they meet the desired criteria, democratic and economic conditions, regardless of their position on the list?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I hope I have made it clear that in relation to NATO we 1172 also wish to ensure that there should be proper integration of the first wave of applicants. That is what is important. It is not just a question of the numbers; it is the cohesion of NATO itself which will be of great importance. The first objective must be the integration of the three applicants who have already been invited. Thereafter, decisions will be taken in the light not only of what the noble Baroness says but also in the light of the effect of inviting further applicants in terms of European security and stability over all.