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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/SRAP, SCA, EUR, EUR/RPM; NSC FOR 
SHERWOOD-RANDALL; JCS FOR J5 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: NATO PREL PARM XG XS XD
SUBJECT: NATO SUMMIT DECLARATION ON ALLIANCE SECURITY 
 
 ¶1. (U) The following Delcaration on Alliance Security was 
approved and released by NATO Heads of State and Government 
following the April 3-4 Summit: 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
04 Apr. 2009 
 
Declaration on Alliance Security Issued by the Heads of State 
and Government participating in the meeting of the North 
Atlantic Council in Strasbourg / Kehl on 4 April 2009. 
 
We, the Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization, met today in Strasbourg and Kehl to 
celebrate the 60th anniversary of our Alliance. We have 
reaffirmed the values, objectives and obligations of the 
Washington Treaty which unite Europe with the United States 
and Canada, and have provided our transatlantic community 
with an unprecedented era of peace and stability. We have 
also reaffirmed our adherence to the purposes and principles 
of the Charter of the United Nations. 
 
NATO continues to be the essential transatlantic forum for 
security consultations among Allies. Article 5 of the 
Washington Treaty and collective defence, based on the 
indivisibility of Allied security, are, and will remain, the 
cornerstone of our Alliance. Deterrence, based on an 
appropriate mix of nuclear and conventional capabilities, 
remains a core element of our overall strategy. NATO will 
continue to play its part in reinforcing arms control and 
promoting nuclear and conventional disarmament in accordance 
with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as 
non-proliferation efforts. 
 
NATO's enlargement has been an historic success in bringing 
us closer to our vision of a Europe whole and free. NATO's 
door will remain open to all European democracies which share 
the values of our Alliance, which are willing and able to 
assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership, 
and whose inclusion can contribute to common security and 
stability. 
 
Today, our nations and the world are facing new, increasingly 
global threats, such as terrorism, the proliferation of 
weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and 
cyber attacks. Other challenges such as energy security, 
climate change, as well as instability emanating from fragile 
and failed states, may also have a negative impact on Allied 
and international security. Our security is increasingly tied 
to that of other regions. 
 
We will improve our ability to meet the security challenges 
we face that impact directly on Alliance territory, emerge at 
strategic distance or closer to home. Allies must share risks 
and responsibilities equitably. We must make our capabilities 
more flexible and deployable so we can respond quickly and 
effectively, wherever needed, as new crises emerge. We must 
also reform the NATO structures to create a leaner and more 
cost-effective organization. We will strengthen NATO's 
capacity to play an important role in crisis management and 
conflict resolution where our interests are involved. 
 
We aim to strengthen our cooperation with other international 
actors, including the United Nations, European Union, 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and 
African Union, in order to improve our ability to deliver a 
comprehensive approach to meeting these new challenges, 
combining civilian and military capabilities more 
effectively. In our operations today in Afghanistan and the 
Western Balkans, our armed forces are working alongside many 
other nations and organisations. In Afghanistan, our key 
priority, we are committed to helping the Afghan Government 
and its people to build a democratic, secure and stable 
 
USNATO 00000139  002 OF 002 
 
 
country that will never again harbour terrorists who threaten 
Afghan and international security. 
 
NATO recognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable 
European defence and welcomes the European Union's efforts to 
strengthen its capabilities and its capacity to address 
common security challenges. Non-EU Allies make a significant 
contribution to these efforts in which their fullest 
involvement possible is important, as agreed. We are 
determined to ensure that the NATO-EU relationship is a truly 
functioning strategic partnership as agreed by NATO and by 
the EU. Our efforts should be mutually reinforcing and 
complementary. 
 
We will develop our relationships with all our partners, both 
in our neighbourhood and beyond, with whom we have a joint 
commitment to cooperative security. Our partners are key in 
enabling us to implement our vision of a community of shared 
values and responsibilities. We value the support that many 
of our partners bring to our operations and missions. 
 
A strong, cooperative partnership between NATO and Russia, 
based on respect for all the principles of the 1997 
NATO-Russia Founding Act and the 2002 Rome Declaration, best 
serves security in the Euro- Atlantic area. We stand ready to 
work with Russia to address the common challenges we face. 
 
We are committed to renovating our Alliance to better address 
today's threats and to anticipate tomorrow's risks. United by 
this common vision of our future, we task the Secretary 
General to convene and lead a broad-based group of qualified 
experts, who in close consultation with all Allies will lay 
the ground for the Secretary General to develop a new 
Strategic Concept and submit proposals for its implementation 
for approval at our next summit. The Secretary General will 
keep the Council in permanent session involved throughout the 
process. 
 
END TEXT 
REID