Representatives of the 19 NATO member states signed accession protocols for the seven states that received invitations for NATO membership at the alliance's Prague summit last November

Representatives of the 19 NATO member states signed accession protocols for the seven states that received invitations for NATO membership at the alliance's Prague summit last November. The Protocols of Accession are amendments to the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO's founding document. The protocols, once ratified by the member states, will permit Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to become parties to the treaty and members of NATO. In his speech, NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson reminded the countries to vigorously pursue reform programs to ensure that they can make a meaningful contribution to the alliance. “In a time when we are constantly reminded not to take our security for granted, today's ceremony is a significant and inspiring example that if we stand firm in defence of our values, we can genuinely change history -- for our countries, and for the Euro-Atlantic Community that we are building together”, said NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson.