The Atlantic Alliance : Germany

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) remains the indispensable foundation of the security of its members in Europe and North America. The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in 1955. The defense preparedness and capability of all NATO member states has, over the decades, safeguarded the existence of the free democracies, proceeding from the dual strategy of defense and dialogue in relation to the former Warsaw Pactcountries as expressed in the Harmel Report of 1967. It was not least the Atlantic Alliance which paved the way for the transformation in Europe and in Germany.

As a result of the political transformation in Europe, the confrontation between East and West has meanwhile been overcome. Nevertheless, NATO still has a central role to play in maintaining Europe’s stability and security. In view of the new threats and instabilities, it is tackling its new tasks head-on, helping to shape the emerging broad-based operative security structures and continuing to embody the transatlantic security alliance as a system of collective defense. With its New Strategic Concept adopted in Rome in November 1991, the Alliance has drawn the necessary conclusions from the overcoming of the confrontation between East and West. Among other things, this concept entails a sizeable reduction in force strengths and a reform offeree structures.