Without it, IFOR and SFOR could not have been set up and deployed so rapidly and effectively. Without the links established through the Partnership, the contributions of over a dozen non-NATO nations could not have been incorporated so smoothly. PfP has thus demonstrated its long-term value not only in theory, but in practice. We now have 27 Partners involved in dialogue and military cooperation with the Alliance. Countries from a wide variety of security traditions have joined, encompassing almost every country in Europe, including Russia, and reaching out as far east as Central Asia.
Neutrality is no bar to membership.
Moldova, Austria, Turkmenistan, all countries where neutrality is enshrined in the constitution, are long-standing members. Switzerland was the latest to join. PfP has thus become a pivotal element of the cooperative security architecture that is emerging in Europe. A large part of its success is attributable to the way that PfP can respond to the individual requirements of Partners, offering a wide range of options for practical cooperation. This basic principle is not going to change.