Deputy General Secretary of NATO Mircea Geoana applauds Argentina’s application to become an accredited partner in the alliance, a valuable position that falls short of “ally” status for countries outside of NATO’s borders.
Argentina has formally asked to become a worldwide partner of NATO, paving the stage for increased political and security cooperation at a time when President Javier Milei’s right-wing administration seeks to strengthen ties with Western nations and draw in investment.
The proposal was made on Thursday while visiting Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri and NATO Deputy General Secretary Mircea Geoana discussed regional security issues in Brussels.
Geoana expressed his approval of Argentina’s application to join NATO as an approved partner, a valuable position that falls short of “ally” status for non-member countries who are exempt from participating in joint military exercises. Currently, only nations in Europe, Turkey, Canada, and the United States are eligible to join NATO.
According to the Argentine presidency, Argentina may now have access to cutting-edge technology, security measures, and training that it did not have before.
“At the NATO headquarters, Geoana stated that Argentina holds a significant position in Latin America.” “Closer political and practical cooperation could benefit us both.”
Reversing years of trade protectionist policies, excessive spending, and debilitating foreign debt that have sent the nation’s economy into a spiral is the goal of Milei’s radical libertarian program.
He has changed Argentina’s foreign policy during his last four months in office to almost entirely support the United States. This is an attempt to bring Argentina back to prominence in the world economy after previous administrations allowed ties with Washington and European allies to deteriorate.
The government of Milei is also hoping that improved relations with the West would enhance security.
For the first time in more than 20 years, the US government revealed on Thursday that it would be giving Argentina $40 million in foreign military financing. This grant enables Israel and other important US allies to purchase US weapons.
The international allies of NATO
The agreement of all 32 NATO countries is necessary for formal partnership.
Argentina and Britain, a crucial NATO member, have tense relations ever since their 1982 conflict over the disputed Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
NATO states that international partners collaborate with alliance members via exchanging intelligence and taking part in military missions, among other means.
Australia, Colombia, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Pakistan are among the current global partners of NATO.
Granting a nation the designation of “global partner” does not guarantee that NATO allies will defend it in the case of an assault.
Article 5 of the founding treaty of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization lays forth this commitment, which is exclusive to alliance members.
NATO and Argentina started talking in the early 1990s. Bill Clinton, the former president, named Argentina a “major non-NATO ally” in 1998, primarily as a gesture of gratitude to the pro-American government at the time for sending troops on peacekeeping missions in Bosnia.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD
