Global Security Newswire

NATO last week announced that it had publicly released a policy developed last year for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and defending against such threats, United Press International reported (see GSN, June 25).

“The document is comprehensive in scope,” Jacek Bylica, who leads the alliance's WMD Center, said in a press release. “It is guided by a clear vision: that the alliance -- its populations, territory and forces -- will be secure from threats posed by weapons of mass destruction and related materials. It provides high-level political guidance for our future activities in support of international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation treaties and regimes, as well as for military planning and capacity-building for defending against the threats posed by these weapons.”

Intelligence sharing, diplomacy and other "strategic enablers" will help NATO deter the spread of weapons or mass destruction, prevent a WMD strike, and deal with the aftermath of such an event, according to the policy.

"A balanced mix of forces, response capabilities and strengthened defenses is needed in order to deter and defend against the use of WMD," according to the document (United Press International, Sept. 4).