Press
Release
(2004)170
9
Dec. 2004 |
Final Communiqué
Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council
held at NATO Headquarters, Brussels,
on 9 December 2004
- Today, we reviewed progress in implementing the Istanbul
Summit decisions, discussed the key security challenges facing the
Alliance, and agreed
on measures to enhance Alliance operations. We reaffirm the enduring
value of the transatlantic link and of NATO as the basis for our collective
defence and the essential forum for security consultation between Europe
and North America, to defend our shared security and common values.
We strongly condemn terrorism, whatever its motivations or manifestations,
and will fight it together as long as necessary.
- Contributing to peace, stability and democracy in
Afghanistan, through the UN-mandated, NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force, remains
the Alliance’s key priority. We welcome the progress already made
towards implementing our decision to expand ISAF’s presence into the
West of
the country and are resolved to accelerate this expansion to support
the Afghan Government to meet the challenges of the parliamentary
elections scheduled for next Spring. As with the 9 October presidential
elections,
we also decided to provide additional support for the parliamentary
elections. Our engagement, within ISAF’s mandate, and in cooperation
with other
international organisations and Operation Enduring Freedom, is essential
to assisting and encouraging the Afghan Government to enhance the
security of the Afghan people and confront the challenges posed by
narco-trafficking,
by insurgents and by the disarming of all local militias, while pursuing
reconstruction, institution-building and national reconciliation.
We stand ready to continue this engagement after the present Bonn
process.
- Kosovo has entered a critical period in its evolution.
We urge all of Kosovo’s communities to participate in its institutions
and to take their share of responsibility for building a better,
common future. Kosovo, and especially the Provisional Institutions
of Self-Government,
must make concrete progress to meet the standards set out by the
international community; this progress will be reviewed next year.
As the security
environment remains fragile, we have agreed that KFOR will maintain
its operational capabilities until we assess that improved security
and political
circumstances allow for change. A robust KFOR will continue to contribute
effectively to a secure, stable and multi-ethnic Kosovo on the basis
of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. We will also
continue to cooperate closely with other actors from the international
community,
in particular UNMIK, the OSCE and the European Union. We agree that NATO
should remain engaged not only operationally in the region, but politically
as well, including through participation in the Contact Group Plus.
- As we agreed in Istanbul, we remain united in our
support for the Iraqi people and offer full cooperation to the Iraqi
Interim
Government as it seeks to strengthen internal security and prepare
the way to national elections in 2005. In accordance with United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1546, and at the request of the Iraqi
Interim
Government, we are helping the Government by providing training and
assisting with the equipping of its security forces, so that Iraq can
assume full
responsibility for its own security as soon as possible. Our mission
is distinct from, yet complementary to, other international efforts.
We have already begun training both in and outside of the country,
and have today agreed to enhance our assistance. This enhanced support
will
include assisting the Government with the establishment of their
Training, Education and Doctrine Centre near Baghdad, and coordinating
the offers of equipment by NATO nations and other countries in response to Iraqi
requests. We continue to support Poland in its leadership of the
multinational division in south central Iraq.
- NATO’s long-term commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina
remains undiminished. Our SFOR mission in the country, the Alliance’s
first-ever
peacekeeping operation, has now reached a successful conclusion.
The European Union’s assumption of the main peace stabilisation role
with
its Operation Althea, based on the Berlin+ arrangements, is a milestone
in the developing NATO-EU relations. A substantial NATO HQ Sarajevo
is providing advice on defence reform, as well as undertaking its remaining
operational supporting tasks in coordination with the EU as previously
outlined.
- We reaffirm our support for the territorial integrity
and sovereignty of all the countries in the Western Balkans and remain
committed
to the development of a peaceful, stable and democratic region, fully
integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures. These countries must continue
to cooperate in their own region and promote good-neighbourly relations,
find mutually acceptable solutions and reach agreements on outstanding
issues. They have to assume ownership of the reform process and build
enduring multi-ethnic democracies, combat organised crime and corruption,
and firmly establish the rule of law. They must also cooperate fully
with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY), including bringing to justice in The Hague all those who are
indicted
by the Tribunal, notably Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, as well
as Ante Gotovina, in accordance with United Nations Security Council
Resolutions
1503 and 1534. In this context, we are deeply concerned by the most
recent assessment provided to the United Nations Security Council by
the Prosecutor of the ICTY on
the level of cooperation she is receiving from the countries concerned.
- We urge Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro
to make further progress in meeting the established conditions for
membership in the Partnership for Peace (PfP). We continue to believe
that improvements
in security and law enforcement structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
as called for in Istanbul, are required. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Serbia and Montenegro have made some progress since Istanbul
on defence reform, neither country is fulfilling its international
obligations to
cooperate fully with the ICTY. We share the concerns recently expressed
by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the
continued failure by those in the Republika Srpska to fulfil its obligations,
including
under the Dayton/Paris Accords. While we remain ready to pursue a
political dialogue with both countries on all aspects of our relationship
and to
include them in selected PfP activities, we will consider their applications
for membership in PfP after they have met the established conditions.
- We welcome the progress made by Albania, Croatia
and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(1) in implementing their
Annual National
Programmes under the Membership Action Plan, and encourage them to
continue pursuing the reforms necessary to progress towards NATO membership.
- We are grateful to our Partner countries for their
continued contribution to our operations. We welcome the response by
many of our
Partners to the new opportunities for cooperation with NATO agreed
at the Istanbul Summit, including the Partnership Action Plan on Defence
Institution Building, as well as the progress made on concluding
Individual
Partnership Action Plans. We welcome the appointment by the Secretary
General of a Special Representative for Central Asia and the Caucasus
and progress towards appointing NATO Liaison Officers in those regions.
We want to further strengthen the Euro-Atlantic Partnership and look
forward to the first EAPC Security Forum in Sweden in May 2005 as
an important new step in our cooperation.
- We are determined to build upon the increasing political
dialogue and greater practical focus of NATO-Russia cooperation in
the framework of the NATO-Russia Council. We encourage Russia’s early
accession
to the PfP Status of Forces Agreement. We welcome agreement on the
NRC Action Plan on Terrorism and Russia’s support to Operation Active
Endeavour,
NATO’s maritime operation in the Mediterranean aimed at helping to
deter, defend, disrupt and protect against terrorism.
- We reiterate our commitment to the CFE Treaty as
a cornerstone of European security and to the early entry into force
of the Adapted
Treaty, which would permit accession by new States Parties. We recall
that fulfilment of the remaining Istanbul commitments on the Republic
of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova will create the conditions
for Allies and other States Parties to move forward on ratification
of the
Adapted CFE Treaty. Given the lack of progress in 2004 on withdrawal
of Russian military forces from the Republic of Moldova it is essential
that efforts be intensified to complete the withdrawal as soon as
possible. We urge the resumption of substantive negotiations between
Georgia and
the Russian Federation to resolve the outstanding issues related
to their 17 November 1999 Istanbul Joint Statement.
- We attach particular importance to relations between
NATO and Ukraine as reaffirmed in Istanbul and are closely following
developments
in the country. We call on all parties to move quickly to implement
the reform of the electoral law passed by the Verkhovna Rada and signed
by
President Kuchma on 8 December and to ensure that the re-running
of the second round of the presidential elections on 26 December will
be free
and fair, and that its outcome accurately reflects the will of the
people of Ukraine without interference into its internal affairs. We
support
the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,
and call on all sides to avoid violence and to promote democracy. The
Ukrainian
authorities have a special responsibility in this respect.
- Yesterday we celebrated the 10th anniversary of
the Mediterranean Dialogue and held the first-ever ministerial level
meeting with our Mediterranean
partners. We welcome, and share, their interest in establishing a
more ambitious and expanded partnership, by deepening our political
consultations
and practical cooperation in a spirit of joint ownership and inclusiveness.
We appreciate the interest of several Mediterranean partners in supporting
Operation Active Endeavour.
- We welcome the growing interest that a number of
countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have shown in the Istanbul
Cooperation
Initiative. We look forward to building relations with interested
countries in a spirit of joint ownership, and to developing and implementing
with
them work plans focusing on those areas where NATO can add value,
on the basis of our agreement at Istanbul.
- The support of our parliaments remains essential
for the implementation of the Alliance’s agenda. We applaud the joint
meeting
of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in plenary session and the North
Atlantic Council in Permanent Session in Venice in November.
- At the Istanbul Summit, the Alliance’s leaders laid
out a broad programme of transformation. We welcome the ongoing work
to carry
it forward, including through improvement of NATO management and
funding arrangements. We are also grateful to the Government of Belgium
for taking
the lead in the construction of the new NATO Headquarters, which
will provide a fitting venue to carry forward the work of the Alliance
into
the future.
- Turkey recognises the
Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.
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