{
  "id": "97-249",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "97-249",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 103442,
      "date": "1998-04-08",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:55:07.935941",
      "title": "NATO Enlargement and the Former European Neutrals",
      "summary": "With the NATO enlargement process now underway, Europe's former neutral states Austria,\nFinland, Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland are re-evaluating the role they should play in the\nchanging European security setting. In Austria, there is a major political debate dividing partners\nin the governing coalition over whether or not to seek NATO membership. The key role of NATO\nin European security has created both opportunities and dilemmas for the former neutrals. On the\none hand, their governments recognize that the new global environment has removed the Cold War\nrationale for a posture as a \"neutral\" in the international system. On the other hand, many people\nin these countries still value to a degree their country's nonalignment. Political elites are divided\nconcerning how to advance their country's interests in the new setting. All of the former neutrals\nexcept Switzerland are members of the European Union (EU), bringing them part-way into the\ntransatlantic security community, even though they are not NATO members. All except Ireland have\njoined NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, involving them directly in many NATO\nactivities. The position of the former neutrals outside the Alliance could appear increasingly\nanomalous as Central and East European states begin joining NATO over the next few years. \nMembers of Congress might wish to consider how the enlargement process might affect decisions\nby the former neutrals about their relationship to, and potential membership in, the Alliance.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/97-249",
          "sha1": "e97bb8380c766a87bff9bcfe56119e0d1246807e",
          "filename": "files/19980408_97-249_e97bb8380c766a87bff9bcfe56119e0d1246807e.pdf",
          "images": null
        },
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          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/19980408_97-249_e97bb8380c766a87bff9bcfe56119e0d1246807e.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Intelligence and National Security",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}