Atlantic Institute

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The Atlantic Institute is an independent, non-governmental institute which promotes economic, political, and cultural relations among NATO alliance members and the international community in general. Based in Paris, it was founded in 1961.

The institute was approved by the NATO Parliamentarians Conference in June 1959 and opened formally on January 1st of 1961. Former Belgian Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland was the first Chairman of the institute, while Henry Cabot Lodge became Director-General later that year. Headquarters initially were at the Hôtel de Crillon, site of the 1919 Paris Peace Conference. Funding of $250,000 over five years was supplied by the Ford Foundation, with a further $800,000 given between 1969 and 1973.^[1]

In 1978, talks were held to consider a merger between the Atlantic Institute and the Trilateral Commission, a similar private institution promoting American, European, and Japanese cooperation.^[2] The idea was scrapped however.

On July 12, 1984, the offices of the Institute were bombed by the left-wing guerrilla group Action directe, who described the institute as an "imperialist" organization working for NATO.^[3]

[edit] Notable members

George Catlin, draftsman of constitution
John J. McCloy, Honorary Chairman 1966-1968
Theodore Achilles, Governor 1969-1973
Martin J. Hillenbrand, Director General 1977 - 1982
George Baring, 3rd Earl of Cromer, Governor
Kasım Gülek, Governor
Olivier Giscard d'Estaing, Governor

[edit] References

^ Melvin Small (1st June, 1998). The Atlantic Council--The Early Years. NATO.
^ John M. Goshko,. "Trilateral Commission Considers Merger With Similar Paris Group", The Washington Post, January 18th, 1978.
^ Claire Rosemberg. "Guerrillas Bomb Offices in Paris", The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 16th, 1984.