The Alliance's New Strategic Concept

At their meeting in London in July 1990, NATO's Heads of State and Government agreed on the need to transform the Atlantic Alliance to reflect the new, more promising, era in Europe. While reaffirming the basic principles on which the Alliance has rested since its inception, they recognized that the developments taking place in Europe would have a far-reaching impact on the way in which its aims would be met in future. In particular, they set in hand a fundamental strategic review. The resulting new Strategic Concept is set out below.

Part I - The Strategic Context

1. The new strategic environment
2. Security challenges and risks

Part II - Alliance Objectives And Security Functions

1. The purpose of the Alliance
2. The nature of the Alliance
3. The fundamental tasks of the Alliance

Part III - A Broad Approach To Security

1. Protecting peace in a new Europe
2. Dialogue
3. Co-operation
4. Collective Defence
5. Management of crisis and conflict prevention

Part IV - Guidelines For Defence

1. Principles of Alliance strategy
2. The Alliance's new force posture
   1. The Missions of Alliance Military Forces
   2. Guidelines for the Alliance's Force Posture
   3. Characteristics of Conventional Forces
   4. Characteristics of Nuclear Forces

Part V - Conclusion