Ian O. Lesser - The future of NATOs Mediterranean initiative: evolution and next steps

Cover

Page a

The research described in this report was sponsored by the Spanish
Ministry of Defense.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The future of NATOs Mediterranean initiative : evolution and next
steps / Ian O. Lesser [et al.].

p. cm.

MR-1164-SMD.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-8330-2812-X

1. National securityMediterranean Region. 2. North Atlantic
Treaty Organization. 3. Mediterranean RegionDefenses. I. Lesser, Ian O., 1957

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and
decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND is a
registered trademark. RANDs publications do not necessarily reflect
the opinions or policies of its research sponsors.

Cover design by Eileen Delson La Russo

Copyright 2000 RAND

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any
form by any electronic or mechanical means (including
photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval)
without permission in writing from RAND.

Published 2000 by RAND
1700 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138
1333 H St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005-4707
RAND URL: http://www.rand.org/
To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information,
contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002;
Fax: (310) 451-6915; Internet: order@rand.org

Page i

Evolution and Next Steps

IAN O. LESSER
JERROLD D. GREEN
F. STEPHEN LARRABEE
MICHELE ZANINI

Prepared for the Spanish Ministry of Defense

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited

Page ii

This page intentionally left blank

Page iii

In 1994, NATO launched a Mediterranean Initiative aimed at engaging selected nonmemher states across the Mediterranean in dialogue on security issues, broadly defined. Since that time, the Initiative has expanded to include six Dialogue countries and has played an important role in raising the level of attention to the Mediterranean in the Alliance as a whole. It continues to serve as a vehicle for promoting positive relations to NATOs south at a time of important evolution in Alliance strategy and activities.

In 1997, RAND undertook a major analysis of the Mediterranean Initiative. Results and recommendations were presented to NATO and Dialogue-country audiences in a RAND report, and briefed at a conference in Rome sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Defense.

In the fall of 1998, the Spanish Ministry of Defense asked RAND to prepare an updated analysis of the Initiative, taking into account continuing changes in the regional environment, Alliance adaptation, and experience with the Initiative over the past year. This report is the product of that effort, and documents findings presented at a major conference in Valencia in February 1999. The yalencia conference itself represented a significant step forward for the Initiative,

1The term Dialogue countries refers to the nonmember states now participating in NATOs Mediterranean Initiative: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia.

2F. Stephen Larrabee, Jerrold Green, Ian O. Lesser, and Michele Zanini, NATOs Mediterranean Initiative: Policy Issues and Dilemmas , Santa Monica, CA: RAND, MR-957-IMD, 1998.

Page iv

with high-level, multilateral discussion among participants from both sides of the Mediterranean.

The research for this report was completed in December 1998 and updated through October 1999. It benefited from extensive discussions with official and unofficial observers in member states, at NATO Headquarters, and in Dialogue countries. It is based on material from publicly available sources.

Research for this report was carried out in the International Security and Defense Policy Center of RANDs National Security Research Division (NSRD), which conducts research for the U.S. Department of Defense, for other U.S. government agencies, and for other institutions.

The publication and dissemination of this report was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana.

Page v

Page vi