Secretary General's Remarks To The Press

Parmi toutes les fonctions internationales, le
poste de Secretaire general de l'OTAN est l'un des plus
exigeants. C'est pour moi un honneur et un privilege
d'etre invite a occuper ce poste a un moment aussi crucial
de l'histoire de l'OTAN. C'est aussi un honneur pour mon
pays, l'Espagne, le plus recent des membres de l'Alliance
et, en meme temps, un allie loyal, dont l'engagement est
indefectible.

Je veux investir dans cette nouvelle tache toute
mon energie et toutes mes capacites. L'exemple de
clairvoyance et de talent diplomatique qu'ont donne mes
deux predecesseurs immediats, Messieurs Manfred Worner
et Willy Claes, me guidera dans cette entreprise.
Permettez-moi de rendre hommage, ici, ce matin, a ce
qu'ils ont accompli, car ils nous ont legue une Alliance
robuste, parfaitement adaptee a ses missions, anciennes et
nouvelles.
Durant pres d'un demi-siecle, l'OTAN a garanti
la securite de ses membres, mission qui continue d'etre sa
tache premiere. Elle reste aujourd'hui la seule
organisation qui peut fournir une telle garantie. Mais
l'Alliance est aussi un element irremplacable de la
nouvelle architecture de securite europenne. L'OTAN a
adopte de nouveaux roles et de nouvelles missions, afin de
s'accorder avec un environnement de securite totalement
different. Au vu de la transformation de l'OTAN et du
succes d'initiatives telles que le Partenariat pour la
paix et l'appui de l'OTAN a la gestion des crises et au
maintien de la paix, je suis convaincu que nous
triompherons des nouveaux grands defis qui nous
attendent.

But there is a condition. The Alliance must
continue to link Europe and North America in an
indissoluble transatlantic security community. The
transatlantic link is the source of NATO's enduring
vitality and the key to its success in its new as well as
traditional missions. There can be no bright future for
Europe if Europe and North America go their separate ways.
In my time as Secretary General, I will work steadfastly
to strengthen the transatlantic link and build public
support for NATO on both sides of the Atlantic.

As I see it, beyond the primary mission of
assuming the security of its members, this Alliance has
four great tasks:

- First, Bosnia remains an urgent priority. In
the months to come the troops on the ground serving
in the IFOR will need our full support. Their
task is clear and so is ours at NATO Headquarters. We
will ensure that they have the support and guidance they
need to keep the risks low, to keep the chances of success
high, and to do the job in the year that they will be
deployed.

- Second, the Alliance has wider strategic
interests. Chief among these is to extend stability
eastward. NATO's enlargement is the single most important
contribution the Alliance can make to the aim of
creating a more integrated and united Europe.
The process of enlargement, which is a steady and
measured one, is already underway. As we move
to take in new members, we will not ignore our
cooperation programme with others. Partnership
for Peace will be intensified and will act as a
permanent bond between Allies and all our
Partners.

- Third, I will do my utmost to build a strong
relationship with Russia. Russia is a great
power. It has an important and unique contribution to
make to building a cooperative security structure
in Europe. Russia and NATO both have much to
gain from each other, and we must construct a
permanent framework of trust and cooperation
between us. This will be done on the ground in
Bosnia; we want to do it here at the institutional
and personal level too. We wish to build a new
security architecture with, not against, Russia.

- Fourth, we have to move ahead with the
transformation of NATO. We have to develop
even greater military flexibility through the
Combined Joint Task Force concept, and we have
to adapt NATO's internal structures to reflect
growing European responsibilities for defence
and security.

And of course, there are many other tasks. We
will continue to address present and future security
challenges that could come from the spread of weapons of
mass destruction. NATO's Mediterranean outreach has to
be nurtured, and I will use my personal interest and
experience to help the Alliance develop a better
understanding with the countries of the Southern and
Eastern Mediterranean.

Above all, the function of a Secretary General
is to ensure that this Alliance remains in prime working
order - that it remains the ultimate guarantor of the
Allies' security as well as a means to build broader
security for the whole of Europe as we move towards the
21st Century. I start work today with commitment and
enthusiasm and I look forward to meeting you all and
discussing these issues with you at greater length in the
weeks and months to come.