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     ABOUT 10:15 BRUSSELS TIME, THURSDAY, 2 DECEMBER 1993


                    NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL

               OPENING STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN

                       (Public Session)


          Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

          First, I should like to thank Secretary Hurd for 
his thoughtful opening remarks.

          This regular fall Ministerial meeting of the Alliance 
is of special importance:  it is a milestone on the way towards 
the Summit.

          We have to carry forward the transformation of the Alliance.  
We have already gone very far in this process.  Some of the changes 
I would not hesitate to call even revolutionary.  But more needs to 
be done to keep up with the developments in Europe.

          The last months have shown that we are far from 
our vision of a new equitable and lasting order of security in the
Euro-Atlantic area. But the turbulent events have also shown 
that there is a need for our Alliance.  New tasks are imposing 
themselves and no other organisation or institution is able 
to handle them.

          Our neighbours to the East are looking for more stability.  
Only we can provide it.  Militarily complicated missions of the 
United Nations in Europe require sophisticated equipment, 
reconnaissance and command and control arrangements.  Again, 
our Alliance alone has the means for it. So we have to accept 
the new challenges and meet them. Your task will be to make 
the Alliance fit for them.

          These are no easy times for transatlantic relations:   
but we all know that there is no other partnership so urgently 
needed. History would punish us if we were to neglect it.  
Only together can Europe and North America cope with the new 
challenges.  We will therefore need to renew the transatlantic 
partnership.

          Notre Alliance renovee devra offrir un meilleur equilibre, 
reposant sur une contribution nord-americaine essentielle et sur 
un pilier europeen solide represente par l'UEO.  Les Allies europeens 
veulent et doivent assumer une plus large responsibilite en matiere de
securite.   L'OTAN doit developper encore ses relations avec l'UEO, 
en vue de permettre l'emploi  efficace des resources qui soient 
considerees comme "separables mais non separees".

          L'Alliance doit egalement adapter encore ses structures 
et ses procedures pour les taches de gestion des crises, 
y compris les activites de maintien de la paix menees avec 
les Nations Unies.  Il nous faudra reflechir a la meilleure 
facon de proceder et aux moyens de faciliter la participation 
des seize Allies.

          L'Alliance conserve pour principal objectif de 
contributer a assurer la securite et la stabilite dans
l'Europe tout entiere.  Nos relations avec les partenaires 
de la cooperation au sein du CCNA constituent en element
important, et nous avons deja considerablement progresse.   
Mais il s'agit d'un processus dynamique, et nous devons aller
plus loin en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives concretes.  
Nous voulons que nos partenaires de la cooperation puissent
avoir avec l'OTAN des relations plus etroites.

          Another new challenge is the increasing proliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction.  The Alliance will have to consider how
best
to face these new risks

          So there is a lot of important work to do.  The Alliance 
needs your leadership and determination.