Legal encyclopedia. Letter C

THE NORTH ATLANTIC UNION (NATO)

Formed on the basis of the North Atlantic Treaty of April 4, 1949. NATO included 16 states.

NATO Objectives:

1) strengthening of stability and welfare in the North Atlantic region;

2) uniting the efforts of its members for collective defense and preserving peace and security.

The Contracting Parties undertake:

1) to peacefully resolve all international disputes to which they may become parties, while not compromising international peace, security and justice;

2) refrain from any use of force or threat of its use in its international relations, if this is contrary to the purposes of the United Nations;

3) to promote the further development of international relations of peace and friendship by strengthening its free institutions, achieving a greater understanding of the principles on which they hold and promoting the creation of conditions for stability and prosperity;

4) to strive to eliminate contradictions in its international economic policy and to promote the development of economic cooperation between any of them and among themselves as a whole;

5) maintain and build up their individual and collective capabilities to combat the armed attack;

6) consult with each other in the event of a threat to the territorial integrity and political independence or security of any of the contracting parties.

According to Art. 5 An armed attack on one or more of them in Europe or North America is considered an attack on the Contracting Parties as a whole. In doing so, the parties must assist the state that has been attacked by immediate individual or joint action, including the use of armed force to restore and subsequently safeguard the security of the North Atlantic region.

NATO Structure:

1) The North Atlantic Council is the supreme body of NATO, which conducts extensive political consultations on foreign relations, security, peacekeeping, and military cooperation;

2) The Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General;

3) political and economic committees;

4) military bodies: Military Planning Committee of military ministers, Military Committee, Permanent Military Committee, Nuclear Defense Committee, Nuclear Planning Group, etc.

In 1997, the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security was signed between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Russian Federation, which established the Russia-NATO Joint Permanent Council. The main principles of cooperation are development based on a stable, equal partnership with the aim of strengthening security in the North Atlantic region, refraining from the use of force and threat of force against each other, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, and supporting peacekeeping operations.