Press briefing

James Appathurai (NATO Spokesman): Ladies and gentlemen, the Secretary General and the High Representative will each make opening statements and then we have time for a couple of questions.

Secretary General.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Secretary General of NATO): Thank you very much. We have had a very useful meeting of the North Atlantic Council and the Political Security Committee of the European Union. And I hope we can do this on a much more regular basis, in particular because the European Union, led by High Representative Ashton, is taking on a more robust foreign policy role onto the Treaty of Lisbon.

The main topic for today's discussion was the situation in Bosnia- Herzegovina where the EU leads Operation Althea, supported by NATO assets and NATO capabilities, as you know.

All the countries around the table today shared the view that Bosnia-Herzegovina's future lies in Euro-Atlantic structures, but I must also say that there was real concern today about the level of ethnic tension and rhetoric in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

As you know, NATO has just extended Membership Action Plan to Bosnia-Herzegovina. It will come into force once some defence property is transferred from the entity level to the national government.

I hope that step will be taken soon, because it will demonstrate that the various parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina can make decisions together for the common good of the country.

High Representative Ashton and I have also gotten off to a strong start in our cooperation. We share the view that NATO and the European Union need to talk more together, and do more together from planning to procurement to operations. We all understand the political complications and those won't be cleared up overnight, but we can still do a lot together as we are in Afghanistan, in Kosovo, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and off the coast of Somalia. That needs to be stepped up and we are working on how best to do that.

Right Honourable Baroness Ashton of Upholland (EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy): Thank you very much. It's a great pleasure to be once again meeting with Secretary General Rasmussen at NATO Headquarters.

I share the conviction that the strength of the relationship between the European Union and NATO is extremely important if we are to tackle some of the issues that we currently face and will face in the future.

There's no question that collaboration is of great significance. I have just returned from the Horn of Africa where I visited the Atalanta Mission, but was very struck by the collaboration and coordination going on with Operation Shield in that part of the world.

As the Secretary General has said, we spent today discussing Bosnia-Herzegovina and looking at the present and future relationships. I'm particularly concerned that as we build up to the elections in October that politicians in that country are making clear that the future of the country lies with Europe and that ordinary people are getting the opportunity to question and challenge what will be the benefits for them that will be presented to them by their politicians for the future. Not just in a sense looking back at the past.

We also have to consider the future too as we look at the post election era and the opportunities that we will have to strengthen the relationships between different parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina and also, of course, our own contribution to do that.

But as I began, it's always significant to be here, because this gives us an opportunity as well, to discuss our future relations and making sure that they're as strong as they possibly can be. Thank you.

James Appathurai: I think, Paul, you had a...

Q: Paul Ames for Europolitique. You mentioned the importance of the relationship. Now you're both relatively new in your jobs. What new ideas can the two of you bring to overcome these problems which have hamstrung the relationship between NATO and the European Union for so long now?

Right Honourable Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Well, I would say this. First of all, there is a great strength and willingness across both organizations to try and find pragmatic ways of dealing with issues. I'm a political realist, so we deal with them within the political context in which we operate.

But I think, too, the more that we're able to have the dialogue and to ensure that on the ground the best possible collaboration happens, in a practical way, then I think we will have fulfilled what our aspiration is, which is to make this relationship as strong as possible.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen : Well, speaking frankly, maybe a bit bluntly, I see the following way. The European Union must move to accommodate some concerns raised by NATO allies that are not at the same time members of the European Union.

Firstly, the European Union should include non-EU contributors to their military operations. They should include them in decision-making processes, like NATO does in ISAF format.

Secondly, the European Union should conclude a security agreement with Turkey. Thirdly, they should conclude an arrangement between Turkey and the European Defence Agency. That's what needs to be done on the EU side.

And then on our side, it should be accepted that Cyprus is actually a country which deserves a seat at the table when we are having a dialogue between NATO and the European Union.

So that's how I see it politically. I'm not a diplomat, so I put it bluntly to you. The question is, how we can move from here to there.

James Appathurai: The last question is there.

Q: Maldives. There is talking taking place, the dialogue taking place between Western Alliance and Taliban, Hezbollah Mujahideen. Both organizations denied yesterday that they are engaged in any kind of dialogue. With who really western alliance talking in Maldives?

Anders Fogh Rasmussen : Well, NATO and ISAF as such is not involved in such dialogues or reconciliation processes. In our opinion it's essential that this process is led by the Afghans, led by the Afghan government.

Having said that, we also have to ensure that the Afghan government can carry forward such processes from a position of strength. In that respect we will, of course, support the Afghan government.

I also have to say that it's essential for the future of Afghanistan that groups and the individuals involved in the reconciliation process accept the constitution of Afghanistan and respect all the principles on which the Afghan democracy is based, including women's rights.

James Appathurai: I'm afraid that's all we have time for, Secretary General.