1. Active words and word combinations

to safeguard the freedom and security	захищати свободу і безпеку
the maintenance of democratic principles	підтримка демократичних принципів
lasting peaceful order	тривалий мирний порядок
to ensure the defense	забезпечувати захист
to contribute to peace and stability	сприяти зміцненню миру і стабільності
to provide an indispensable foundation	закладати необхідне підгрунтя
the peaceful resolution of disputes	мирне вирішення спорів
to intimidate or coerce any country	залякувати або тиснути на любу країну
to affect vital interests	зачіпати життєво важливі інтереси
to retain sovereignty	зберігати суверенітет
the Mediterranean Cooperation Group	Група середземноморська співробітництва
the North Atlantic Council	Рада Північноатлантичного договору
the Defense Planning Committee	Комітет військового планування
the Nuclear Planning Group	Група ядерного планування
the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council	Рада євроатлантичного партнерства

2. Read and translate the text What is nato

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an alliance of countries from North America and Europe committed to fulfilling the goals of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington on April, 4, 1949.

NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means.

Relations between North American and European members of the Alliance are the bedrock of NATO. These countries share the same values and interests and are committed to the maintenance of democratic principles, making the security of Europe and that of North America indivisible.

Based on common values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the Alliance has striven since its inception to secure a just and lasting peaceful order in Europe. The achievement of this aim can be put at risk by crisis and conflict affecting the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. Therefore, the alliance not only ensures the defense of its members but contributes to peace and stability in this region.

The fundamental guiding principle by which the Alliance works in common commitment and mutual cooperation among sovereign states in support of the indivisibility of security for all its members. Solidarity and cohesion within the Alliance, through daily cooperation in both the political and military spheres, ensure that no single ally is forced to rely upon its own national efforts alone in dealing with basic security challenges.

The alliance is committed to defending its member states against aggression or the threat of aggression and to the principle that an attack against one of several members would be considered as an attack against all which is proclaimed in Article 5 of the Treaty.

To achieve its essential purposes, as an alliance of nations committed to the Washington treaty and the United Nations Charter, the alliance performs the following fundamental security tasks.

- Security. NATO provides one of the indispensable foundations for a stable Euro-Atlantic security environment based on the growth of democratic institutions and commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, in which no country would be able to intimidate or coerce any other through the threat or use of force.

- Consultation. The alliance serves as an essential transatlantic forum for allied consultations on any issues that affect their vital interests, including possible developments posing risks for members’ security and for appropriate coordination of their efforts in fields of common concern.

-Deterrence and Defense. NATO deters and defends against any threat of aggression against any NATO member state as provided for in Articles 5 and 6 of the Washington treaty.

NATO remains an inter-governmental organization in which each member country retains its sovereignty. All NATO decisions are taken jointly by the member countries on the basis of consensus. Each member country participates fully in the decision-making process on the basis of equality, irrespective of its size or political, military and economic strength.

NATO is headed by the Secretary General. He performs three main roles. First and foremost, he is the chairman of the North Atlantic Council, the Defense Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group as well as the chairman of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the NATO-Russia Council, the NATO-Ukrainian Commission and the Mediterranean Cooperation Group. Secondly, he is the principal spokesman of the alliance and represents it in public on behalf of the member countries. Thirdly, he is the senior executive officer of the NATO International Staff, responsible for making appointments to the staff and overseeing its work.

The main decision-making body of NATO is the North Atlantic Council (NAC). It consists of permanent representatives of all member countries meeting at least once a week. Twice a year, or sometimes more frequently, the Council meets at a higher ministerial level when each country is represented by its minister of foreign affairs. Meetings of the Council also take place in defense ministers’ sessions. Summit meetings attended by heads of state or government are held in urgent cases or whenever particularly important issues have to be addressed.

Most of the meetings are chaired by the Secretary General of NATO, or, in his absence, by his Deputy.

The work of the Council is assisted by subordinate Committees which are responsible for specific areas of policy: the Defense Committee (deals with collective defense planning); the Nuclear Planning Group (is responsible for specific policy issues concerning nuclear forces); the Military Committee (deals with the military policy of NATO), etc.

NATO has no operational forces of its own, except those assigned to it by member countries or contributed by Partner countries for the purpose of carrying out a specific mission.

Scanning

1. Answer these questions, beginning your answer with following phrases: as a rule …; to tell the truth …; as far as I know …; the matter is that …; as far as I remember …; as far as I am concerned …; frankly/strictly speaking …; to make a long story short … .

1. What are the main principles of NATO?

2. When was the Washington treaty signed?

3. What is essential and enduring purpose of NATO?

4. What is the bedrock of NATO?

5. What are the relations between NATO members based on?

6. What is the main aim of NATO? Is it difficult to achieve? Why/Why not?

7. In what way does the alliance contribute to peace and stability in the region?

8. What does the fundamental guiding principle of NATO consist in?

9. Does any ally rely only on itself in dealing with basic security challenges?

10. What principle is proclaimed in Article 5 of the Washington treaty?

11. What are the fundamental security tasks NATO performs?

12. In what way does NATO provide a stable security environment in the Euro-Atlantic area?

13. What burning problems do the allied consultations of NATO members tackle?

14. What does NATO’s deterrence and defense task consist in?

15. Who is NATO headed by?

16. What are the main functions of the Secretary General of NATO?

17. What is the North Atlantic Council?

18. What kinds of meetings and summits can be conducted by the member states?

19. In what cases are the summit meetings of heads of state and government conducted?

20. What functions do subordinate Committees perform?

21. Does NATO have operational forces of its own?