North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Chair: Manuela Kurkaa

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1 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Chair: Manuela Kurkaa The Greater Washington Conference on International Affairs The George Washington University International Affairs Society November 1 st,

2 Table of Contents Welcome Letter from Chair and Vice Chairs 3 North Atlantic Treaty Organization 5 Mandates and Purposes..5 History of NATO 5 Topic 1: Crisis in Ukraine 7 Introduction to the topic History Current situation Questions to consider Topic 2: NATO Enlargement. Introduction to the topic History Current situation Questions to consider Works Cited 2

3 Welcome from the Chair Dear Delegates, Welcome to the Greater Washington Conference on International Affairs, to The George Washington University, and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization committee! At GWCIA you will be representing the delegates of NATO s 28 member countries and will discuss some of the most pressing issues that the organization is facing, will build partnerships to increase security in your countries and will debate the expansion of the organization. This background guide provides an overview of the history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a description of the topics that will be addressed in committee, and will provide questions to consider as you do your research, write your position paper and prepare for committee. My name is Manuela Kurkaa and I have the honor of serving as your Chair for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization committee at GWCIA. I am a junior at The George Washington University from Bogotá, Colombia majoring in international affairs, political science and minoring in philosophy. I have been participating in Model United Nations Conferences since I was in high school and served as Head Delegate of my school s Model UN Team and Secretary General of our conference. I am now an active member of GW s Model UN Team and have served as a chair for both our middle school and high school conferences. Additionally, I currently serve as Chair of The International Affairs Society, the student organization that hosts GWCIA. Participating in Model UN allowed me to discover my passion for international affairs, politics, and debate, and I hope that you find some of your passions and interests at GWCIA as well. I look forward to meeting you soon and welcoming you to The George Washington University. If you have any questions regarding the background guide, your assignments or anything else please feel free to me and I will be more than happy to answer them. Sincerely, Manuela Kurkaa Chair mkurkaa@gwmail.gwu.edu 3

4 Introduction from the Dais Hello delegates! I can't begin to express how excited I am to have the opportunity to meet you all this fall. We have such an exciting simulation planned for you, and I'm certain you're going to enjoy GWCIA! A little about me: I am a freshman at the George Washington University, majoring in international affairs with a concentration in Eastern Asia. Although I originally hail from Atlanta, Georgia, I've begun to call quite a few cities home... Shanghai, Beijing, and DC to name a few. I speak Chinese and encourage any delegates with a passion for languages to speak with me during the conference. I'd like to wish you all the best for the upcoming conference. Please do not hesitate to approach any member of the Dais with questions or concerns... after all, GWCIA is all about you! Eric Belier Vice Chair Delegates, Welcome to the GWCIA for Fall My name is Hallie Drapkin and I am enthusiastic to serve as one of your vice chairs for this conference. I am a Sophomore in the Elliot School, majoring in International Affairs with concentrations in both Global Public Health and International Economics. I am originally from Los Angeles, California, and cannot be happier to now call GW and DC home. I started the Model UN club at my high school and have been involved ever since. From UCLA, to UC Berkeley and UC Davis, I have been to a fair share of conferences and am hoping to help all of you have the best experience possible. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns! So excited to meet you all at GWCIA. Happy delegating! Hallie Drapkin Vice Chair 4

5 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Mandates and Purposes The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an intergovernmental political and military alliance. It is dedicated to promoting cooperation on security and defense issues, to preventing conflict, conducting crisis management and humanitarian operations. NATO is committed to the principle of collective defense and security which is described in Article 5 of the organization s founding treaty, The Washington Treaty also known as the North Atlantic Treaty or NATO Charter. This article states that an attack against one or more of NATO s members is considered an attack against all members. Through the principle of collective defense, NATO members have agreed to defend each other in the face of external threats, and through the principle of collective security, they have neutralized internal threats. History After the end of World War II in 1945, the international community began discussing ways to promote peace in the world and to prevent new wars and atrocities from occurring again. From these hopes and fears multiple international agreements, treaties and organizations were created which included the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations, and the Treaty of Brussels. The treaty of Brussels is considered to be a precursor to the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was signed on the 17th of March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and the United Kingdom with the intention of defending the treaty s parties from the threat of communism and creating greater collective security. Soon after, with the threats emerging from the Cold War and realizing that the presence of The United States of America would be essential in a military and political alliance, discussions regarding a new alliance started. These talks resulted in the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed in Washington, D.C. on April 4, With this treaty, NATO was born. NATO s first Secretary General said in 1949 that the goal of NATO was to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans 5

6 down. The alliance began with 12 members: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, The United Kingdom and The United States. As the Cold War continued and with the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 NATO consolidated, streamlined and improved its structure and began to develop detailed military plans. Additionally, it began conducting regular military exercises and expanding. It incorporated Greece and Turkey in 1952 into the organization and Western Germany in In response to Germany s entry to NATO, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact, a collective defense treaty, similar in purpose to NATO, among the communist states of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Albania and the Soviet Union. NATO continued expanding its military and nuclear forces throughout the Cold War with the purpose of safeguarding its member countries from Soviet threat. This military expansion continued until 1990 when the signing of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe by NATO and the Warsaw Pact established limits on the military equipment of both alliances. The dissolution in 1991 of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact changed the membership, purpose and focus of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The post-war enlargement of NATO was gradual and began with the introduction of the reunited Germany and Eastern European nations. Forums for regional cooperation between NATO and other countries were created in the 1990s such as the Partnership for Peace, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the NATO - Russia Permanent Council, among others. NATO has engaged in various military interventions in conflicts which include the Bosnian War, the Yugoslav War, and Kosovo. The purpose of these interventions has been for the most part humanitarian, led by the willingness of the organization s member states to stop civilian casualties, genocides, and massacres. NATO invoked for the first time since its inception, the Article 5 of the NATO Charter after the September 11th attacks in the United States. This principle of collective security obliged all members countries of NATO to assist in one way or another the United States in its defense. 6

7 The most recent military intervention made by NATO took place in 2011 during the Libyan civil war where the Libyan army, under the leadership of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, cracked down violently on protesters. NATO enforced a no-fly zone to protect civilians from military airstrikes by the Libyan government. Topic 1: Crisis in Ukraine Introduction to the topic The Ukrainian crisis began in November 2013 when President Yanukovich abandoned a trade agreement that promoted greater ties with the European Union, in favor of closer cooperation with Russia. Soon after, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kiev and other Ukrainian cities to protest this decision. The protests have continued ever since which has caused great instability in the region. The conflict continued to escalate when the parliament of Crimea called for a referendum to have the region join Russia in March. After the official results of the referendum claimed that the 97% of voters were in favor of this motion, the Russian Federation annexed it and sent military forces to the region. Members of the international community, in particular members of NATO, have strongly condemned this annexation and have placed sanctions on Russia. History The crisis in Ukraine began in 2013, but its origins can be traced back to 1991 when the Ukrainian Parliament declared independence from the USSR. This followed a nationwide referendum in which 90% of the population voted in favor of independence. Despite its independence and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has been trying to influence Ukrainian politics and economy throughout the years. In 2010, Viktor Yanukovych, considered to be a pro-russian candidate, won the Presidential election. Three years later, in November of 2013 President Yanukovich abandoned a trade agreement that promoted closer ties with the EU, seeking closer economic and political ties with Russia instead. Thousands of protesters soon gathered throughout the main cities of Ukraine, and in the next two months, demonstrations and manifestations increased. In January of 2014 the 7

8 Ukrainian government passed strict anti-protest laws and violent clashes and police crackdowns on the protests began. Soon after, in February, the parliament voted to remove the President from his position, named Olexander Turchynov interim president, and set a date for new elections in May. In March, pro- Russian protests began in several Ukrainian cities, many in the region of Crimea. After Russian military forces moved closer to Crimea, its parliament voted to join Russia and scheduled a referendum whose official result said 97% of voters were in favor of joining Russia. President Vladimir Putin promptly signed a bill to annex Crimea into the Russian Federation, a move widely condemned by The United States, the European Union and the international community, who imposed a wide range of sanctions on Russia in response. On May 25, Ukraine held a presidential election won by Petro Poroshenko, a pro-eu candidate, who began meetings and negotiations with The United States, the European Union, and Russia soon after being sworn in. The already grave conflict escalated when a flight from Malaysia Airlines, MH17, that was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down as it was flying over the region of Donetsk in Ukraine by Russian-backed Ukrainian rebels on July 17 of A total of 283 passengers, 80 children and 15 crew members were on board, all of them died. 8

9 Current Situation As Ukrainian troops have been killed by pro-russian rebels and as Russia has moved an alarming number of troops to the Ukrainian-Russian border tensions have risen. Europe and The United States have placed tough sanctions on Russia. In response, President Vladimir Putin has imposed a ban on food imports from The United States, the European Union and other western countries. It has even threatened to ban airlines from these countries from flying over its air space. As the crisis continues NATO is increasingly worried about the security and stability of the region. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the Ukrainian government have discussed possible alliances and support for Ukraine s defense capacity. NATO Secretary General has said that NATO stands by Ukraine and added that NATO s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering. Our partnership is long-standing. It s strong, and in response to Russia s aggression, NATO is working even more closely with Ukraine to reform its armed forces and defense institutions. Days after NATO s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that NATO would be deploying forces to Eastern Europe, on the 4th and 5th of September, Wales hosted the NATO Summit Wales At the summit, world leaders discussed the next steps that the organization would take to address the crisis in Ukraine. 60 world leaders gathered at this event and reiterated that the alliance stands by Ukraine and the protection of its sovereignty. Furthermore, they announced new sanctions against Russia while adding that all members of the alliance hope to find a political solution to the crisis and that no one wishes to enter into a conflict with Russia. Questions to consider What steps can NATO take to deescalate the conflict? How can NATO continue to strengthen and support Ukraine s military capabilities without increasing tensions with Russia? How can stability in the region be promoted? 9

10 How can the decisions reached in the NATO Summit in Wales be effectively implemented? Topic 2: NATO Enlargement Introduction to the topic Enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is the process of adding new member states to the organization. Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty is the article that governs the process of joining the organization. NATO claims that any European country is welcome to join if they undertake the commitments and obligations that membership entails, and if they are ready to contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area. NATO has stressed throughout the years that its ongoing enlargement poses no threat to any country and is aimed at increasing stability and cooperation. Nevertheless, there is disagreement on the effects of enlargement. Some foreign policy and security experts advocate further expansion of NATO. Others, however, think that further enlargement would be destabilizing and would undermine the interest of the organization. Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty reads as follows: The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to this Treaty. Any State so invited may become a Party to the Treaty by depositing its instrument of accession with the Government of the United States of America. The Government of the United States of America will inform each of the Parties of the deposit of each such instrument of accession. 10

11 Nato 2002 Summit. History and current situation In 1949 when it was created, NATO had 12 members and ever since, and after six rounds of enlargement (1952, 1955, 1982, 1999, 2004, and 2009), the organization has continued to welcome new members and to extend its partnerships and forums of cooperation with other countries. The first three rounds of enlargement occurred during the Cold War and where made with strategic considerations in mind. The next rounds of accession were made with greater integration and cooperation in mind. Today, it has 28 member states and is assisting four countries that are aspiring to become members to do so: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of Macedonia, and Montenegro. When countries express their interest in joining the NATO, they are invited for Intensified Dialogue with the alliance. Depending on the results and progress made in the dialogue, they may be invited to participate in NATO S Membership Action Plan (MAP) which helps aspiring coun- 11

12 tries meet the criteria of and prepare for possible membership. Countries must meet prove that they can further the principles of the Washington Treaty, contribute to the safety of the member states of NATO and must meet certain economic, political and military criteria. In 2008, NATO decided to add Ukraine and Georgia to its membership. Nevertheless, in 2010 Ukraine s government expressed that it no longer had an interest in joining the organization. With the crisis in Ukraine creating tensions in the region, talks about including the country have rekindled. Expanding NATO, many argue, would deter Russian aggression and stabilize Europe. Others believe this would be an act of provocation. In sum, while in recent years NATO s expansion has been an act of cooperation and search of stability, now, with the crisis in Ukraine increasing fears, the rationale behind enlargement seems to be returning to the strategic considerations of Cold-War era mentality. Questions to consider Would NATO benefit or suffer from continuing its expansion? Should NATO move to include Ukraine in its Membership Action Plan? Is the process of adding members efficient? Should it be revised? Helpful Resources Reynolds, Ryan. The Origins of the Cold War in Europe: International Perspectives. Yale University Press. p. 13 BBC News Europe. Ukraine Crisis Timeline. July 5, << MH17 Malaysia plane crash in Ukraine: What we know. BBC News Europe. July 25, NATO Chief visits Ukraine as crisis deepens. Aljazeera. August 7,

13 Speech by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Kiev. August 7, << mc&utm_campaign= stand+by+ukraine>> Nato Enlargement. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. << Nato Enlargement. Aspirant Countries. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. << North Atlantic Treaty, Article 10. North Atlantic Treaty Organization

12. NATO enlargement

THE ENLARGEMENT OF NATO 117 12. NATO enlargement NATO s door remains open to any European country in a position to undertake the commitments and obligations of membership, and contribute to security in