Political Consultation with Partners Sample Clauses

Political Consultation with Partners. NATO’s partnerships are crucial instruments of cooperative security, knowledge and information sharing, collaboration, and capacity building. NATO has a wide range of partners in the north, south, east, and west, many of whom share its “NATO’s partner- ships are crucial instruments of cooperative security.” founding principles of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, and are significant contributors to inter- national peace and stability. NATO derives significant value from partners sharing and pursuing these shared values and welcomes operational contributions from those partners to operations and missions. Partnerships add value as stabilising tools for regions beyond NATO’s borders while enabling Allies to help partners to build their defence capacity and to ensure interoperability. Political dialogue is crucial to xxxxxx regional understanding and to exchange expertise. Dialogue is also essential so that NATO and its partners can develop tailored practical cooperation. This cooperation not only contributes to the suc- cess of operations but helps partners address security problems before they reach NATO borders. The functioning of partnerships in recent years has been adversely affected by blockages due to bilateral disputes between partners and Allies, as well as by inadequate funding and over-reliance on voluntary trust funds. NATO Partnerships are strongest when partners take account of and where possible sup- port NATO’s and Allies’ security interests. “The door should remain open to all European democracies that aspire to join NATO.” NATO’s Open Door Policy is a founding principle of the North Atlantic Treaty. The enduring attractiveness of membership to non-member countries testifies to NATO’s success as an alliance. The goal of a Europe whole and free, and sharing common values of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law remain as valid as ever. The door should remain open to all European democracies that aspire to join NATO struc- tures and who are able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership and contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area. Partnership cannot be a substitute to membership, which alone carries the benefit of Article 5. Looking to 2030, NATO should leverage its strong partnerships not only in NATO’s neighbourhood but further afield in the Indo-Pacific in an era of intensifying geostrategic competition and global threats. But it will need to use these partnerships more strategically and p...