Down comes the Iron Curtain

According to analysts here, the expansion of NATO is the most important single event for the three European countries since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and a personal foreign policy triumph for President Bill Clinton.

The NATO enlargement has come as a final rubbing away of the Iron Curtain and a final confirmation of the fact that the three new entrants belonged firmly in the western camp, they said.

Diplomats from the three countries have underscored the significance of entering NATO, which celebrates itsgolden jubilee next month.

8220;It goes far beyond a sense of security,8221; said Andrej Towpik, Poland8217;s ambassador to NATO.

8220;For us it marks a return to Europe. It is about sharing in something that is much larger than ourselves.8221;

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the US are the existing 16 NATO members.

The NATO enlargement which was first proposed by Clinton in 1996 had initially come under sharp attack from critics in the US and elsewhere.

It was perceived that pushing NATO to the east would antagonise Russia and make Europe a more volatile place. Another view was that expansion would prove very expensive if NATO tried to take on too many partners from across eastern Europe.

Any uncertainty over a NATO expansion finally came to an end with legislations to bring in the three new countries passed by wide margins in parliaments of all the 16 countries.

The three new members will bring into thealliance thousands of Soviet-made tanks and scores of jet fighters.

Analysts said however that equipment doesn8217;t measure up to western standards and need to be upgraded.

But the euphoria generated by the entry is unmistakable; so is the sense of achievement.

8220;This is a real victory for what is right,8221; Daniel Fried, US ambassador to Poland, is quoted as having said.

8220;Not only historically, but for Europe as it is today.8221;