Nevertheless, at the 1994 summit meeting, NATO leaders declared that, in the context of strengthening ties with the democratic states to the east, the Alliance remained open to other European states. Hungary and the Czech Republic made their claims heard, albeit in a more restrained fashion, and more and more countries posed their intended candidature. This was followed in 1996 by the presentation of individual discussion documents detailing what would be required from a prospective member on one hand and from NATO on the other. At a summit meeting, probably in the spring of 1997, NATO leaders are expected to announce decisions on the countries to be invited and on a timetable for the procedure. Considerable problems remain.
Membership means the complete security guarantee and reciprocal obligations of cooperation.
At present it is likely the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland will be invited to submit their requests. The invitation then would have to be ratified by the parliaments of all member countries. A possible date for admission of the first new members would be April 1999, exactly 50 years after the signature of the North Atlantic Treaty. In this context, repeated efforts have been made by both sides to establish such a relationship, but, so far, with only limited success. Initially, Russia was offered considerable consultation facilities, both at ministerial level and at that of its ambassador in Brussels.