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| Updated: 08-Oct-2002 | NATO Publications |
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The PfP Framework Document commits NATO to developing with the Partner countries a planning and review process, designed to provide a basis for identifying and evaluating forces and capabilities which might be made available for multinational training, exercises and operations in conjunction with Alliance forces. Initially PfP operations were limited to peacekeeping, search and rescue and humanitarian operations. However, as part of the enhancements of PfP introduced since 1997, PfP operations and corresponding planning and evaluation requirements have been expanded to encompass the full range of the Alliance’s new missions, including peace support operations. The Planning and Review Process is offered to Partners on an optional basis and draws on NATO’s extensive experience in defence planning. It is in essence a biennial process involving both bilateral and multilateral elements. For each two-year planning cycle, Partners wishing to participate in the process undertake to provide information on a wide range of subjects including their defence policies, developments with regard to the democratic control of the armed forces, national policy relating to PfP cooperation, and relevant financial and economic plans. The information is provided in response to a “Survey of Overall PfP Interoperability” issued by NATO in the autumn every second year. Participating countries also provide an extensive overview of their armed forces and detailed information of the forces which they are prepared to make available for PfP cooperation. On the basis of each Partner’s response, a Planning and Review Assessment is developed. A set of Partnership Goals is also prepared, in order to set out the measures each Partner needs to introduce in order to make its armed forces better able to operate in conjunction with the armed forces of Alliance countries. After bilateral and multilateral consultations, the Planning and Review Assessment and the Interoperability Objectives are jointly approved by the Alliance and the Partner country concerned. A Consolidated Report, which summarises each of the agreed assessments and the forces being made available by each Partner, is agreed by the representatives of the Allies and of all Partners participating in the process. The report is brought to the attention of EAPC Ministers. The first PARP cycle was launched in December 1994 with 15 Partners participating. A Consolidated Report on its achievements was presented to Alliance and Partner Ministers in spring 1995. Building on the success of this first cycle, a number of measures were adopted to broaden and deepen the process for the next cycle which was launched in October 1996. The second cycle, for which 18 Partners signed up, provided a further demonstration of the inherent strength of the process. There was a significant increase in the breadth and quality of information exchanged, resulting in a much clearer picture of the forces being made available by Partners. The number and substance of Interoperability Objectives were also substantially increased, further adding to the measures available for enhancing the Partner countries’ capabilities and their ability to operate with Alliance forces. The process of developing and preparing the individual assessments and the Consolidated Report in spring 1997 led the way for the development of recommendations for further enhancement of the process. This coincided with measures being taken to enhance the PfP programme as a whole and contributed to the work of the Senior Level Group on PfP Enhancement. The effect of the recommendations, which were approved by Ministers at their meetings in spring 1997, was to increase the parallels between the PARP process and the defence planning process which takes place within NATO itself. As a result, the PARP Ministerial Guidance document has been introduced, which provides political and defence planning guidance for the countries participating in PARP. In addition, the Interoperability Objectives have been renamed Partnership Goals, reflecting the fact that their future scope will extend beyond the development of interoperability, into other defence planning fields. PARP has contributed significantly to the close cooperation of Partner countries in the NATO-led peace operations in Former Yugoslavia. In addition, PARP is helping to strengthen the political consultation element in PfP and to provide for greater Partner involvement in PfP decision-making and planning. PARP is also a crucial element in preparing prospective members of NATO for accession. 
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