NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Talk by Mr E. Povel

By Jantien Krisifoe

On Friday morning we arrived at the NATO gates. After the security checks, we were allowed to enter the premises. Mr. E. Povel was waiting for us. He gave a presentation about NATO, giving some insight into the organization. Why does NATO exist, what is the history of NATO, how does it work and why is it important?

The primary goal of NATO was to combine forces in a response to communism. It was specialized in crisis management. The parties agreed that if one member state would be attacked the others would help their ally. After the Cold War NATO did not dissolve like its Communist equivalent, the Warsaw Pact, but instead changed her primary goal to combating new threats. They also help states, if asked, with peace-keeping operations. The goal has become broader: NATO started as a regional organization and has developed into a global one.

The structure of NATO differs from other European and International institutions. NATO is both a military and a political organization. This difference was very noticeable in the hallways of the NATO building: it seemed to be a very male environment.

It was clear that even students of law are sometimes unsure of what NATO does. NATO is very often confused with the UN. I therefore think it's good that on this trip we also paid a visit to NATO. The Netherlands often participate in NATO missions. As a student interested in International and European organizations, it is important to have some knowledge of NATO.

I would like to thank NATO for having us. In particular, Mr. E. Povel, Mr. H. Klijn and Lt.Col. C. van den Bergh deserve a special thanks for their time and patience in answering all of our questions.

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