The foundations of the expanding Atlantic Community

Many people on both sides of the Atlantic take the Atlantic Community for granted, weakening the Community's foundations and world order in general. It is important to remember that the Atlantic Community has played, and continues to play a considerable role in creating the dynamics of a free and peaceful international order, well beyond being a simple military alliance. It was the shared identity and values of the Atlantic Community that brought a peaceful end to the Cold War. Today, members within and out with the Atlantic Community are faced with new global challenges that affect us all and that cannot be solved by any single nation alone. Basic principles must be reaffirmed in order to meet global challenges. Opinions among the members of the Community must not be a source of weakness, but rather a source of cooperation, strength and solidarity.