NATO’s Response to Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction:
A Historical Overview

          The Alliance has long recognised the risks to Alliance security posed by the proliferation of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) weapons also known as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery. NATO’s present day position on proliferation began to take shape in 1991. The Rome Summit in 1991 identified for the first time the proliferation of WMD and ballistic missiles as a problem requiring special consideration. In January 1994, at their Summit meeting in Brussels, NATO Heads of State and Government formally acknowledged that the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery was a threat to international security and a matter of concern to the Alliance. They announced their decision to intensify and expand NATO’s political and defence efforts against the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery. Furthermore, the Summit directed NATO to develop a policy framework to consider how to reinforce ongoing efforts and how to reduce the proliferation threat and protect against it. The first tangible result came six months later, in June 1994, in Istanbul, when NATO Ministers issued the “Alliance Policy Framework on Proliferation of WMD”. This was the first major public NATO document on WMD proliferation, covering both the political and defence dimensions of the subject. In 1996 NATO Foreign Ministers reiterated that the WMD proliferation continued to be a matter of serious concern to NATO as it could pose a direct threat to international security. Particular concerns raised at this meeting were:

• Growing proliferation risks on NATO’s periphery and the role of suppliers of WMD-related technology in this context;

• Continuing risk of illicit transfers of WMD and related materials;

• Political/Military uncertainties and future technological trends related to WMD;

• Commodities and technology that could be used to develop NBC Weapon systems becoming more common and widespread.

          Following this meeting the Senior Politico-Military Group on Proliferation (SGP) and the Senior Defence Group on Proliferation (DGP) were established and mandated to focus on proliferation issues: one Group to address the political aspects of NATO’s approach to the proliferation problem; and the other to identify the military capabilities needed to discourage NBC proliferation, to deter threats and the use of NBC weapons, and to protect NATO populations, territories and forces. The Joint Committee on Proliferation (JCP) provides co-ordinated reports to NATO leaders on the politico-military and defence aspects of proliferation.
          On 25 September 1998 in Vilamoura (Portugal), during an informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers, the US Secretary of Defence introduced, for the first time, the WMD Initiative. Its purpose was to expand the Alliance‘s understanding of the proliferation issue and to focus appropriate attention on WMD risks. At their Summit meeting in Washington in April 1999, NATO Heads of State and Government approved the Alliance's new Strategic Concept, which included the WMD Initiative.
          Since 1999, when the WMD Initiative was launched, the world has changed. The September 11 terrorist attacks and the anthrax crisis of autumn 2001 have visibly demonstrated the real menace of these new threats.
          At the Prague Summit in November 2002, Alliance leaders endorsed implementation of five nuclear, biological and chemical weapons defence initiatives, which will enhance the Alliance's capabilities against weapons of mass destruction. Work is progressing on the NBC Defense Initiatives launched at Prague. In addition, on 1 December 2003, the NATO Multinational CBRN Defense Battalion achieved its initial operational capabilities.