Dear Mr. Blinken:

Thank you for inviting me to serve as an Honorary Member of the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit Host Committee.

Regretfully, I must decline the invitation because I feel that there is little cause for celebration. It is my considered opinion that the NATO of today is a far cry from the organization that was formed 50 years ago.

Today's NATO is embarking on the course that takes it away from its original goal -- opposing the aggressive expansion of the Soviet Union, a function worthy of support by all freedom-loving people, -- onto a course of selective coercion, bordering on state-sponsored terrorism. In short, it is evolving from a defender of democracy and freedom into an aggressor in its own right. The Congress of Russian-Americans has joined many prominent statesmen in their opposition to the expansion of NATO. We firmly believe that the act of bringing NATO closer to the Russian Federation's border is going to strengthen Communists inside Russia and, at the same time, have a chilling effect on the struggling Russian democracy. This is a sure road to confrontation.

The Congress of Russian-Americans views with concern further development of the NATO aggressive policies.

Very truly yours,
Peter N. Budzilovich
President
cc: Board members