NATO HQ 14 June 2004

The Istanbul Agenda Video interview with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO Secretary General Events NATO Istanbul Summit - 28-29 June 2004 Biographies Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Multimedia Video file Audio file .MP3/1404Kb Q: Mr. Secretary General, what will be the main achievements of the Istanbul Summit? de Hoop Scheffer: Well, I think the Summit has three pillars. First of all, our operations… NATO’s operations in Afghanistan, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Kosovo, the Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean Sea. The second important pillar, I think, the partnerships of NATO, partnership with the European Union, partnership with Russia and Ukraine. The focus on strategically important areas like the Caucasus and Central Asia, the reinforcement of the Mediterranean Dialogue with the Mediterranean countries, and the Istanbul Co-operation Initiative in the sense of an outreach to nations in the broader Middle Eastern region who are interested in having a discussion with NATO. Q: And this will, of course, be the first NATO Summit at 26, following the enlargement of the Alliance. de Hoop Scheffer: It certainly will be the first NATO Summit at 26, so one could say that this is an important event in itself, to have a Summit at 26. Q: Will Heads of State and Government also address the issue of the capabilities the Alliance needs for its new missions? de Hoop Scheffer: Yes, definitely, that’s another major part of the Istanbul Summit: How can we make the forces we have, as we say in our NATO-speak, more useable? For the television viewer or the Internet visitor, it is simply the question of, Can we make the forces that we have… can we get them easily where we want them? Can we get them where we want them? Will nations be able, if NATO enters into a political commitment, for instance, in Afghanistan, is NATO able to translate that political commitment into bringing the actual forces in the field? That’s what we call “usability” of our forces, and that’s a very important element of the Istanbul Summit as well, and I hope that our Heads of State and Government will instruct me, as Secretary General, and will instruct NATO to have a good look at that because I think there is a lot of room for improvement there. Q: Will NATO meet its commitment to Afghanistan? de Hoop Scheffer: Definitely. NATO has to. It has not been easy, as everybody has been able to see, but we will and we have to make… to meet our commitments, I should say. President Karzai is coming to the Summit in Istanbul and we have to tell him there that, as far as the enlargement of the Stabilization Force is concerned, and as far as support for the elections in Afghanistan are concerned, NATO will meet its commitments. We cannot afford… It’s a matter of credibility. We cannot afford to lose Afghanistan, so we should support President Karzai, and we will do it. Q: What will NATO decide about Iraq? de Hoop Scheffer: Well, that’s a very important question and a sensitive question. You know that Allies… Allied Heads of State and Government are meeting hours before the transfer of sovereignty in Iraq. Let’s take the Security Council resolution which has been adopted last week as a starting point. Let’s not redo the discussion we have had in the run-up to the war in Iraq. I think if, on the basis of that resolution, the Iraqi government… the UN or the Iraqi government would come to NATO and ask NATO if we could do anything, then NATO should not turn a blind eye to such a request from what is a legitimate and sovereign Iraqi government. I cannot, let’s say, prejudge, of course, the outcome of this discussion, but again I think that the Heads of State and Government will certainly discuss this, but I must add the key for the answer to this question you’re asking me is in fact in Baghdad, because after the 30th of June it will be up to the Iraqis and not up to anybody else to decide the fate of their country. Q: Mr. Secretary General, thank you very much. de Hoop Scheffer: Thank you.