Abstract
The question of further enlargement rounds after Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have been admitted to NATO in Spring 1999 will place the Alliance in a difficult position. On the one hand, key allies see the coming years as a 'digestive' period to adapt NATO to the admission of three new members. On the other hand, NATO codified its commitment to an open enlargement process in a compromise formula found in Madrid in July 1997, which is likely to raise expectations among putative candidates and some NATO members, such as France, on a second enlargement round already in 1999. This would undoubtedly strain the relationship with Russia - particularly with regard to a potential NATO membership of the Baltic countries. It would be wise not to decide on another enlargement round too soon, but NATO will have to devote some thoughts to the ultimate goal of the enlargement process.
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