ABSTRACT
The rhetoric of Rome reflected Alliance realization that significant changes were required in the way in which NATO would have to perform if it was to remain relevant to the security interests of its members in the post-Cold War environment. NATO had, in effect, committed itself for the first time to a mission that was not confined to Western Europe and North America, but rather extended to all Eurasia. The NATO ultimatum also revealed lingering Russian concerns about the Alliance's new role in peacekeeping, as nationalist elements launched a strong domestic campaign against the use of force by NATO. As the conflict in the former Yugoslavia drags on, it is becoming increasingly evident that many of the member nations of NATO are having second thoughts about their willingness to provide the necessary forces. When the North Atlantic Co-operation Council charter was drafted, many allies still had reservations about opening NATO's defence planning process to their former adversaries.
