Capping one of his biggest foreign policy victories, President Clinton on Thursday formally approved expanding the NATO military alliance to include the former Soviet satellite nations of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
In a White House ceremony, the president signed the instrument of ratification the Senate passed April 30. It adds the three nations by amending the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty.
“Today, we welcome Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, finally erasing the boundary line the Cold War artificially imposed on the continent of Europe,” Clinton said.
At the Pentagon, Army Gen. Wesley Clark, NATO’s top commander in Europe, said the Polish, Hungarian and Czech militaries “are enormously pleased and proud to be accepted” as allies.
