BALTIC ASSEMBLY

BALTIC ASSEMBLY BALTIC ASSEMBLY S T A T E M E N T ON THE INTEGRATION OF THE BALTIC STATES INTO NATO The Baltic Assembly, taking into account the common goal of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, emphasising the importance of continuous and close co-operation among the three States in their efforts to become members of the Alliance, taking into consideration previously adopted principles of co-operation between the Baltic States, understanding that for each aspiring member of NATO one of the most important criteria of the future membership preparations is an individual implementation of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) approved by NATO Summit in Washington in 1999, reaffirms determination of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to appropriate requisite resources and enhance co-operation in preparation for NATO membership, welcomes the commitment of the parliaments of the NATO member countries to the future enlargement of NATO and their call to issue no later than during the Summit in 2002 invitations to NATO accession negotiations to any European democracy that seeks membership in the Alliance and has met the established criteria and emphasises in this context that an early integration of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into NATO is in the interest of promoting democracy and security in Europe. 9 December 2000, Vilnius