BRUSSELS: Nato's headquarters in Brussels becomes very full when all of its members and partners gather there. On the second day of summits or the alliance's ministerial meetings , the Nato delegates are joined by representatives of those 27 countries who have taken up the alliance's offer of "partnership for peace" or PFP.

"Not everyone knows each other", a Nato diplomat said after the last meeting in December. On Jan 10, 1994, the heads of state and government of the then 16 Nato countries created the PFP at a summit in Brussels. It focused mainly on countries who had become independent after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

The purpose was co-operation and support on the basis of democracy and constitutional standards, the obligation to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, the recognition of existing territorial borders and military transparency.

The PFP was joined by 30 independent countries in addition to the 16 Nato members. "From Vancouver to Vladivostok - the longest existing coalition worldwide", as the former Nato Secretary General Lord George Robertson hailed it.

The members, including several neutral countries, all belong to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) founded in 1997. This body is for consultation purposes and convenes regularly to discuss cooperation, political and security issues.

The PFP establishes individual co-operation to suit the needs of each partner country. It can range from the democratisation of the military, support in mine clearance, training soldiers from partner countries for disaster control to combatting terrorism.

Although there is no defence pact as in Nato, there is the possibility of consultations with the alliance in the event of a threat. The partnership is not without problems though. Russia has not participated in it much to Nato's annoyance. Yet there is close bilateral cooperation between the Nato-Russia council.

Seven more countries will join at Nato's summit in Istanbul in June 2004. There will then be 26 Nato countries in the partnership - that is more members than partners.-dpa