Secretary of State Colin Powell Responds to the U.S. Senate on NATO Expansion and Role - April 29, 2003

In a session of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the Senate regarding the UN and NATO, stating that "we need both organizations; they complement each other." The meeting, held at the Hart Senate Office Building on April 29, 2003, discussed significant issues including the expansion of NATO with the acceptance of seven new members, the future political and security situation in Iraq, and NATO's active presence in Afghanistan and potentially in Iraq thereafter. At 9:30 AM Washington time, the special session was chaired by Republican Senator Dick Lugar from Indiana, focusing on NATO's expansion and the future trajectory in Iraq. Powell provided explanations regarding the discussed issues and answered senators' questions. Senator Lugar opened the session by stating that today marks the beginning of a busy month for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Tomorrow morning, we will vote on the expansion of NATO, which includes Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. I am confident that the Senate will approve the protocol for the entry of these seven Eastern European countries into the NATO alliance before President Bush's trip to Europe later this spring. Given that the Foreign Relations Committee will vote on NATO expansion tomorrow, we reaffirm the necessity and usefulness of our relations and solidarity with this alliance. Regarding Iraq, we are likely close to beginning operations there. Senator Lugar noted that the Foreign Relations Committee is particularly interested in the government's long-term policy regarding Iraq. He mentioned that our military forces and reconstruction teams in Iraq face numerous challenges, including the emergence of a Shiite majority, the influence of Iranian officials in Iraq, unilateral statements and announcements of power by various Iraqi individuals and groups, threats of terrorist operations, the establishment of water and electricity services in Iraq, safeguarding historical and antique artifacts in the country, establishing a police force for peacekeeping, fair distribution of food and health supplies, and locating weapons of mass destruction. The issue of NATO's coalition presence in Afghanistan and potentially in Iraq was also a significant topic of discussion.