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RobertKupiecki
influencingthesecurityoftheNorthAtlanticregion.“Itisnotpossible,”the
documentstates,“toassumeaprioriwhetherandhowNATOshouldreactto
specificcrises.Weshould,however,bepreparedtoimprovethemechanisms
whichaimatanearlieridentificationofasituationwhichbringscommon
threatsandwaystocounteractthem.”
Withalltheeffortsputintojustifyingtheneedforconsultation,Allies
kepttherighttobeexcludedfrommattersthatwerereservedfortheir
owndecisions.Itwasalsodeterminedthattherewasanundisputableneed
forNATO’scollectivedefenceandparticipationinUNpeaceoperations,
excludingatthesametimethepossibilitythattheAlliance,asawhole,would
engageinsuchmissions.12Activitiesofindividualstatesintheseregards
wereconsidered“formslegitimisingNATOasanimpartial,indirectactorin
peaceoperations”indevelopingworldcountries.
TheHarmelReportthusdidnotgobeyondconfirmingtheexisting
differencesinapproachesandthelackofwilltointroducenewobligations
thatwouldgobeyondtheTreatyregion.Recognisingtheindependentrole
ofthemembersworkingthroughtheUNmeantNATO’swithdrawalfrom
attemptstocollectivelyinfluencewhatwastakingplaceoutsideitsborders.
ItwasevenopenlydoubtedwhethertheNorthAtlanticTreatywastheright
forumforcooperationoutsidetheTreatyarea.Thisquestionwasreinforced
bythestatementthattheWashingtonTreaty“didnotincludeanypositions
regardingNATO’soperationalactivityindifferentregions”(althoughneither
diditincludeaclearbanonsuchactivities).Thissituationwas,however,not
asmucharesultofambitionorbravery,asitwasoftheawarenessofexisting
differences.
DespitethedestructivedisputesandthedamagethatcametoNATO’s
prestigeasaresultofFrance’sdecisiontoleavetheAlliance(damagewhich
wouldlastover40years),theevaluationofthestrategicdebateinthe1960s
shouldbepositive.Thankstothecompromisesthatwereworkedoutduring
thedebateovertheHarmelReportandparallelworksontheflexibleresponse
strategy,therewasnotonlyanimprovementintheoverallstateofNATO’s
militaryforces,butalsointherelativestabilityintransatlanticrelations,
aswellasarationalexpansionoftheColdWartheatreinwhichMoscow
wouldbesystematicallyinvolvedinadialogueinherentlydamagingtothe
Kremlin’scontroloveritsownempire.ItwasnotthelasttimethattheAlliance
12
Itwasfearedthatunpredictableeventsandprovocationsresultingfromthedirectcontact
ofsoldiersfrombothmilitaryblocscouldtakeplace.
12
ThePolishQuarterlyofInternationalAffairs,2017,no.4
