The inclusion of Montenegro in NATO will not have the effect of increasing the overall percentage share of the United States in the common budgets of NATO. On the other hand, an attack against Montenegro, or its destabilisation arising from external subversion, would threaten the stability of Europe and jeopardise United States national security interests, says among other things the Resolution of Ratification of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of Montenegro
Montenegro is still awaiting the US Senate to decide on the protocol.
The resolution begins as follows:
“The Senate advises and consents to the ratification of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of Montenegro, which was opened for signature at Brussels on May 19, 2016.”
In order for the US Senate to approve the protocol ratification the conditions primarily related to funding and costs shall be fulfilled.
“Prior to the deposit of the instrument of ratification, the President shall certify to the Senate as follows: the inclusion of Montenegro in NATO will not have the effect of increasing the overall percentage share of the United States in the common budgets of NATO and does not detract from the ability of the United States to meet or to fund its military requirements outside the North Atlantic area,” the document states as the first condition.
The second condition is related to the annual report on NATO member defence spending.
Not later than December 1 of each year, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report which shall contain the following information:
“The amount each NATO member spent on its national defence in each of the previous 5 years. The percentage of GDP for each of the previous 5 years that each NATO member spent on its national defence,” the document says.
Also, one of the important conditions for the protocol ratification is declaration to spend a minimum of 2 percent of its GDP on national defence. All the above conditions are fulfilled by Montenegro, which has been confirmed on several occasions.
When it comes to the strategic rationale for NATO expansion, the document says that “the United States and its NATO allies face continued threats to their stability and territorial integrity”
“An attack against Montenegro, or its destabilisation arising from external subversion, would threaten the stability of Europe and jeopardise United States national security interests. Montenegro, having established a democratic government and having demonstrated a willingness to meet the requirements of membership, including those necessary to contribute to the defence of all NATO members, is in a position to further the principles of the North Atlantic Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area,” the document states.
The US Senate’s Foreign Policy Committee unanimously backed ratifying the Montenegro-NATO accession protocol. The full Senate is the next to vote for it. The U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in the 100-member Senate for approval of new NATO members.
If the Senate gives the green light, the protocol shall be approved by the President of the United States. Thus, the United States will become the 23rd out of 28 member states that have ratified the document.
