NATO Secretary General says transatlantic relationship is ''critical'' to security
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, speaking at the Transatlantic Bond Project Conference in Brussels on Tuesday (10 June 2014), stressed the importance of a strong relationship between Europe and North America to address current security risks and threats. “Transatlantic resolve and unity will be critical in meeting all these complex challenges”, he said. “NATO is the unique political and military instrument that allows us to muster that transatlantic resolve, and translate it into unified action”.
He welcomed the conclusions and recommendations of the three working groups participating in the project, which are aimed to “extend, nurture and sustain” broad political support for a strong transatlantic relationship, and “foster a new transatlantic spirit” among NATO nations publics. “This is our future and our Alliance”, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, “and a strong transatlantic bond remains vital for both”. Recommendations range from a fair and continued investment in defence by all Allies to the need for greater NATO outreach with both NATO nations publics and “like-minded partners around the world”.
The Transatlantic Bond project was launched earlier this year to review the state of the transatlantic relationship. A group of members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, a group of experts from 10 NATO countries and a group of young leaders were established to reflect on the subject and provide recommendations for the future. Their conclusions and recommendations, which were further discussed at the conference, will serve as a basis for the Transatlantic Declaration to be adopted at the NATO Wales Summit in September 2014. Their reports can be found here : NPA report - Group of Experts' report - Young Leaders' report