1、1 There is virtually no literature on these issues. This report is based primarily on interviews ofU.S. and European officials, and of NATO officials, March-April 2003. An earlier version ofthis study was provided as a memorandum to Senator Richard Lugar, and has been printed as aCRS report with his
2、 permission.Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21510Updated March 8, 2004NATOs Decision-Making Procedurenae redactedSpecialist in European AffairsForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryThis report provides
3、 a brief analysis of NATOs decision-making procedures, withseveral examples of how the allies have handled sensitive issues in the past. It describesthe February 2003 dispute over providing NATO defense planning and equipment toTurkey, and analyzes the debate over the decision-making process, includ
4、ing possiblealterations of that process. This report will be periodically updated. See also CRSReport RS21354, The NATO Summit at Prague, 2002.Background1In February 2003, the United States asked that NATO begin planning to provideTurkey with defensive systems in the event of an attack by Iraq durin