Speech to the press

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,

Three weeks ago in New York I had the pleasure to be nominated by the North Atlantic Council to become Secretary General of NATO. I was deeply moved by the faith and confidence that my fellow ForeignER Ministers placed in me on that occasion. To be chosen to lead this great Alliance which has done so much to promote peace and freedom in Europe is indeed a rare honour for any individual. So today, as I take up my new tasks here at NATO Headquarters, I am aware of the great responsibility that is now mine and I am determined to be worthy of this honour.

I am mindful too of the great debt that both I personally and this Alliance owe to my predecessor, Manfred W"rner. For he has set the example of courage, vision and skilful leadership that we must follow. His influence and statesmanship were decisive in steering NATO through its first, difficult stage of transformation. For this I am grateful to Manfred W"rner. His place in our common history is secure.

The Alliance has undergone during these latter years the changes and radical adaptation to the new security situation in Europe, but NATO transformation is still not complete. This effort must continue so that we can exploit fully the unique strengths and resources of this Alliance to extend the security and stability we the Allies have enjoyed to all the other countries of Europe. In particular I see four major tasks for the months ahead.

First, and foremost, we must work with our new partners to the East to develop a cooperative approach to security and indeed a widening of our unique security community. This is a historical duty, and I consider its realisation the number one goal of my tenure as NATO Secretary General. We cannot accept unequal zones of security nor the isolation of any country. So the efforts the Alliance has undertaken, through the NACC and the PFP, to associate our partners with the work of NATO, and thereby spread security, must be pursued with vigour. In particular, we must build on the early success of the PFP and sustain its momentum. We will keep our promise to our partners to help them transform their military establishments and bring them under democratic control. In due course, the Alliance will enlarge, as stated in the Brussels Summit Declaration. But we must ensure that when this happens, it will not lead to new divisions, nor prevent us from extending our cooperation with all our other partners.

The second task will be to build a relationship of dialogue and common endeavour with Russia. We recognize Russia's weight and international role. It is an indispensable partner if the Alliance is to fulfil its vision of a lasting and secure order of peace in Europe. So we will establish a dialogue with Russia in areas of common interest, both inside and outside PFP, in order to achieve this partnership.

In third place, we will need to further develop our political and military instruments so as to be able to contribute to crisis management and peace-keeping missions. As this will likely be under the authority of the CSCE or UN, it will be necessary to increase our links and practical interaction with these institutions. Only a system of sovereign but interlocking institutions, in which each institution contributes its particular resources and expertise, can guarantee stability in Europe. NATO has already demonstrated in the former Yugoslavia how its proven military capabilities can support the UN. We will continue to do this in ways which preserve NATO's credibility and autonomy. Cooperation between NATO and the UN has developed rapidly over the last two years. I personally intend to carry it further and make it as effective as possible.

Finally, the European security and defence identity must be realized in full and the WEU confirmed in its r"le as European pillar of NATO. In this respect, the development of the concept of Combined Joint Task Forces is of particular importance. But let me insist on one point: a European security and defence identity can never be a substitute for a strong transatlantic link embedded in a strong Alliance. It will reinforce that link, not weaken it. The community of values and action between North America and Europe remains as vital for meeting the challenges of tomorrow as for those of yesterday.

So you can imagine, I have exchanged one demanding job for perhaps an even more demanding one. After being a Minister in Belgian governments for some 22 years, I now face the unique challenge of leading an international organization.

As daunting as the future is, I am confident. This Atlantic Alliance is one of history's greatest success stories. It takes its strength not only or even primarily from its military capabilities but from the democratic values and habit of cooperation that bind its members together. This solidarity has stood the test of time and has allowed NATO to adapt while preserving its traditional and still primary role as the guarantor of its members' security. Because of this Alliance we were able to overcome the crises and the confrontations of the Cold War. With this Alliance we can now help to build for the wider Europe that secure and prosperous future that it has hardly ever enjoyed before in its history. I will do my utmost to contribute to this new chapter in NATO's evolution, and to take up the torch of my distinguished predecessors in this great office. I shall now begin. Thank you for coming here today and my best wishes to you all.