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Updated: 22-Feb-2002 NATO Conferences

[Draft
Programme
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The role of the EAPC in combating terrorism

Warsaw, 22-23 February 2002

Seminar Concept

Introduction

The Basic Document of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council contains a non-exclusive list of specific subject areas on which Allies and Partners would consult in the framework of the EAPC. The list includes, inter alia, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) proliferation and defence issues; international terrorism; and civil emergency and disaster preparedness.

On 12 September 2001, the EAPC adopted the Declaration, in which the member nations pledged to undertake all efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism. Member nations responded immediately with offers for disaster relief assistance to the United States of America in response to the terrorist attacks of September 2001. On 16 September, the list of relief offers, distributed by the EADRCC, included 31 country names.

EAPC has been an important tool of building and sustaining international coalition in the campaign against terrorism. At their December Ministerial, the Foreign Ministers and Representatives of the member countries of the EAPC underlined their resolve to make full use of the EAPC/PfP framework to share information, to co-ordinate practical activities, and to help protect their populations against terrorism. In this context, Ministers endorsed the new EAPC Action Plan for 2002-2004, which includes new co-operative approaches in the international fight against terrorism, based on the Finnish-Swedish initiative. The Action Plan provides for a seminar on EAPC's role in the international fight against terrorism.

Objective

The seminar shall aim at identifying possible new tasks for the EAPC in combating terrorism. Consultations and co-operation should complement and not duplicate the work done in other relevant fora where both Allies and Partner are represented. To that end it shall bring together experts, academics and researchers from the EAPC member countries, NATO's International Secretariat and Military Authorities, as well as invitees from international organisations such as the UN, OSCE, EU and CIS.

Themes for discussion

General overview of the EAPC's role in the fight against terrorism:

  • comparative advantages vis-a-vis other international organisations and institutions;
  • PfP dimension;
  • Initial discussion on potential mandate and taskings of a task force.

Exchange of information, education and training:

  • identifying threats and responses to acts of terrorism - data exchange on sources of possible terrorist threats;
  • possibility of research fellowship programmes, courses and briefings;
  • training of anti-terrorist units and rescue teams - exchange of experiences.

WMD proliferation and WMD related terrorist threats:

  • consultations on political issues related to the challenges of proliferation;
  • defence-related preparedness for WMD contingencies (policy, training and equipment);
  • visits and exchanges of experts on technical issues related to non-proliferation.

Co-operation in civil emergency planning, including in its WMD aspects:

  • assistance to national authorities in improving preparedness against the consequences of a possible use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents against civilian population,
  • civil - military co-operation in warning and detection,
  • consequence management,
  • risk assessment, methodology and exchange of information.