Address

Thank you, Mr. Secretary General,
I want to join those speakers who expressed their appreciation for the outcome of yesterday´s NAC meeting. Its decisions on the internal and external adaptation of NATO, the proposal to convene next July the summit meeting which will invite the first group of applicant countries to start talks on accession have certainly confirmed that the enlargement of NATO is on track and goes on as scheduled.

Since having been established five years ago as the first and genuine step on the way to a post-Cold War security arrangement, NACC has provided a good framework for the dialogue between NATO and the former members of the Warsaw Pact. I also want to say how much we appreciate the experiences of PfP established early l994. PfP has not only contributed greatly to sthrengthening relations between NATO and partner countries, but has promoted the all-European security and stability and has helped partner countries to increase the interoperability of their military. Without PfP Operation Joint Endeavour, the activities of IFOR would have been much less effective and successful.

But I think the time has come to merge NACC and PfP combining political dialogue and cooperation with joint military activities, harmonising the political and military elements and structures of cooperation. Therefore Hungary welcomes the US proposal to establish the Atlantic Partnership Council and is prepared to subscribe to it contributing to the further elaboration of the initiative.

The attention NATO pays to the external adaptation including the intention to establish special relationship, strategic partnership with Russia and Ukraine clearly demonstrates the will of the Alliance that enlargement should not result in any new division in Europe but on the contrary, it should contribute to the unification of the Continent, to a new all-European security architecture. The decisions of the NAC meeting clearly demonstrate that NATO does feel responsibility for security beyond its member countries. The agreement reached some days ago in the OSCE on the adaptation of CFE was another encouraging signal that the envisaged all-European security architecture is taking shape.

I want to welcome the decision on SFOR. The presence of the international military force with a credible capacity of deterrence is one of the major preconditions of maintaining peace and stability in the region. It will guarantee the implementation of the civilian elements of the Dayton Peace Accord that will make the peace process self-sustaining. I want to confirm that Hungary, being vitally interested in security and stability in the neighbouring region of former Yugoslavia, stands ready to maintain her contribution with a battalion of engineers which has built or reconstructed nearly 20 bridges in Bosnia, and that we will continue to provide air bases for staging and logistic purposes.

To conclude I want to inform the distinguished participants of our NACC meeting that last night the Hungarian Parliament ratified the Hungarian-Romanian Basic Treaty signed two months ago and that we are to exchange the ratification documents in the coming weeks to make it enter into force. I am certain that the basic treaty will not only promote bilateral relations between Hungary and Romania, will not only improve the situation of minorities in both countries but will enhance security and stability in the whole of our region.

Thank you for your attention.