This week, the Parliaments of four NATO member states - Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, and Poland - reviewed draft legislation on the Protocols of Accession of the seven countries, including Latvia, invited to join NATO.

On 11 July 2003, the German Bundesrat passed a unanimous decision on the Protocols of Accession to NATO of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia. The German Bundestag already voted on the law on 5 June 2003, but in accordance with German legislation, it had to be additionally endorsed by the Bundesrat.

A unanimous vote in favour of the Protocols was also made by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of Luxembourg on 9 July. The law has yet to be signed by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg for the Protocols to be considered as ratified.

With the above votes, ratification of the Protocols of Accession to NATO in the Parliaments of Germany and Luxembourg has now concluded. At present, the accession of Latvia to the Alliance has been endorsed by seven NATO member states. The countries that have previously ratified the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty are Canada, Norway, the United States, Denmark, and Hungary.

Affirmative votes in relation to the Protocols have this week also been made in the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of Italy and by the Lower House of the Polish Parliament (Seim). In accordance with the national legislation of these two countries, the draft law remains to be approved by the Upper Houses (Senate) of both parliaments.

Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs applauds the decisions passed by the Parliaments of Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, and Poland and expresses gratitude for their support to Latvia as it moves toward NATO.

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