Vol. XXXVIII / 1 - Studia Moralia

ONLY THE SOVEREIGN MAY DECLARE WAR AND NATO AS WELL 211
from the collapse of the Soviet Union, argues for the
enlargement of NATO. Enlargement is imperative, on this view,
because Europe must be defined anew as a “geostrategic
concept”. 36 According to Article 21 of the Washington Summit
Communique, one of the aims of the alliance’s new strategic
concept is the recognition that: “The security of the Balkan
region is essential to achieving lasting stability throughout the
Euro-Atlantic area. Our goal is to see the integration of the
countries of the region into the Euro-Atlantic community. We
want all the countries and peoples of South-Eastern Europe to
enjoy peace and security and establish normal relations with
one another, based on respect of human rights, democracy,
individual liberty and the rule of law.” 37 Pursuant to this “goal”
the alliance paid little attention to the possible role that the
Council of Europe or the OSCE could play. Nor did it consider
itself bound to seek prior United Nations Security Council
resolution as a basis for its action on Belgrade. Consequently,
the alliance unilaterally conferred upon itself the mandate to
declare and wage war on Belgrade. 38
In justification of its unilateral conferment upon itself of the
said mandate NATO invoked the doctrine of limited sovereignty.
Reminiscent of the much criticised Brezhnev doctrine, this
invocation found its strongest advocate in the British Prime
Minister and is accordingly widely known as the Blair
doctrine. 39 The basic tenet of this doctrine is that in principle
sovereignty is no longer unlimited even with regard to internal
or domestic matters. The road to intervention from outside is
meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Washington DC on 23 and 24 April
1999.”
- NATO Review No. 4 Winter 1998. Ruhle, M.M. “Taking another look at
NATO’s role in European security.”
36
Verbeke, J., A new security concept for Europe, Studia Diplomatica,
Vol. LI: 1998, No. 3-4, p. 130-131.
37
NATO Review, No. 2 Summer 1999.
38
de Volkskrant, maandag 26 april 1999, p. 5 (NAVO gaat veiligheid in
Europa en wijde omgewing bewaken, “De alliantie geeft zichzelf het
mandaat om zonder toestemming van de Veiligheidsraad in actie te
komen.”)
39
Le Monde Diplomatique, (Nouvel ordre global) juin 1999, p. 1.