June 22, 1994

   DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL'S SPEECH DURING RUSSIAN
 FOREIGN MINISTER KOZYREV'S VISIT TO NATO TO SIGN THE
                PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE


          Mr. Foreign Minister, let me welcome you to
NATO today on behalf of the North Atlantic Council
and of the Secretary General.  The Secretary General
greatly regrets being unable to be here, but I will
speak on his behalf and what I say reflects his views
and his strong personal commitment to partnership
between the Alliance and Russia.

          Today the Russian Federation joins the
Partnership for Peace.  This is a defining moment in
shaping the security of our continent.  NATO and
Russia share a great responsibility for Europe's
future: a future where peace and cooperation replace
mistrust and confrontation; a future where real
partners join together to face the new challenges
ahead.

          Russia is of primary importance for
European security.  Russia is, and will remain, the
single most powerful nation in Europe.  For its part,
NATO is, and will remain, the single most powerful
and indeed the only functioning organization of
collective defence in Europe.  Russia's relations
with the other European nations will, to a large
degree, decide the peaceful future of Europe, and so
will the relationship between Russia and NATO. Thus,
whoever is interested in peace and stability in
Europe must be interested in a harmonious,
cooperative and trustful relationship between our
Alliance and Russia.  Since we strictly exclude any
idea of zones of influence, such a relationship has
nothing to do with some kind of NATO-Russia
condominium or a Yalta 2.  Instead our relationship
reflects our mutual commitment to the new order of
democratic and sovereign nations which has emerged in
Europe. 

          Four years ago,  just after the NATO Summit
in London which extended the hand of friendship to
Russia and its peoples, Dr. W”rner made the first
visit to Russia by a NATO Secretary General.  In a
speech which in a remarkable way foreshadowed what is
happening here today,  he said: "our Alliance does
not look upon you as an adversary, but as a friend
and future partner. Your country is a great one. It
has made an immense contribution to our common
European culture. It is part of our common European
home. No future European order is conceivable without
an active and constructive role by your country. 
Together we can achieve a great deal; separately very
little."  

          This signalled one of the most profound
changes in the history of NATO, from confrontation to
cooperation.  NATO knew that it would take time to
overcome suspicions, and we started there and then. 
We started a sincere and fruitful cooperation with
Russia inside and outside the North Atlantic
Cooperation Council.  We opened our schools to
Russian officers, organised visits and seminars, and
discussed our military doctrines in all frankness. We
have been as supportive as possible, and we are still
prepared to do more, even substantially more.  

          Nevertheless, we have not yet been as
successful as we hoped in changing the old image of
NATO in all sectors of Russian society.  NATO still
seems to be regarded in some quarters as an
adversary.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 
Our leitmotif is cooperation and our objective is
partnership.  

          We want to create a Europe not only free
from war but also free from fear.  We must not repeat
the mistakes of Europe's past.  The security of some
cannot be achieved through the insecurity of others. 
The shadows that have darkened Europe's history must
not be cast again.  The new Europe will be built on
the concept of cooperative structures among sovereign
nations, respecting territorial integrity, political
independence and international law.  How successful
we will be, will also depend on Russia and her
relations with her neighbouring countries.

          Our main objective remains a new Euro-
Atlantic order of security with the active
participation of Russia. Our concept of a larger
Europe is not built on NATO alone.   It is built on
the wider structure of the CSCE which we would like
to see strengthened.  There are also the NACC, the
Council of Europe and the Western European Union. 
Russia is not a guest in Europe.  It is a European
power which will participate in the new European
order on an equal footing.  It would be foolish and
indeed impossible to exclude or isolate her from the
new European order of security.  She will be included
- both in her and in our interests.  

          But NATO will obviously be one of the main
stabilising structures of such an over-arching
European order.  Again, it would be foolish and
indeed impossible to deny or erode such a structure. 
NATO will continue to exist, adjusted to its new
roles and missions, but in the interests of all
European nations since it is not directed against
anybody.  The expansion of NATO, when it occurs, does
not mean isolating Russia, nor does it establish new
divisions or borders, nor does it lead away from a
single Europe.  It has to be seen as a contribution
to stability in a new Euro-Atlantic order.

          Partnership for Peace takes the
relationship between NATO and Russia an important
step forward, giving it a new quality.  Through the
Partnership we will draw closer together.  PFP
provides the framework for a broad range of
activities designed to strengthen our political and
military ties and develop the potential for
peacekeeping operations.  As we are increasingly
being called upon to support the United Nations and
CSCE in peacekeeping missions, Allied and Russian
forces will undoubtedly find themselves more and more
often engaged alongside each other in common
endeavours.  Through Partnership for Peace we seek to
prepare ourselves for such contingencies.  This will
strengthen our means to address jointly the new
security challenges that confront us in Europe.  And,
beyond this, the Partnership will also have the
important political dimension of bolstering
stability.
          
          The concept of Partnership for Peace is
based on equality for all our Partners.  It is one of
the founding principles of our Alliance that every
nation, regardless of its size, enjoys the same
rights.   Every PFP Partner will be free to choose
what he wants to be included in the programme. 
Nothing can and will be imposed.  This is cooperation
by mutual agreement and in no way by subordination. 
It means that PFP will lead to self-differentiation
by sovereign decision of our Partners.  The scope,
size and nature of activities, even the aim of
joining the PFP will differ from state to state.  I
am certain that we will be able to work out together
an extensive and far-reaching Individual Partnership
Programme which will correspond to Russia's size,
importance, capabilities and desire to contribute to
the pursuit of shared objectives.  

          This reflects a simple fact of life which
we most willingly recognise and even welcome.  Russia
is a major power by its size, geographical location,
geopolitical situation; by its natural resources, its
military might and certainly not least by the immense
talents of its writers, scientists, engineers and the
numerous skills of your great people.  So we need
Russia as a politically, economically and
strategically stable partner.  There will only be
stability in Europe with and not against Russia;
thus, a good and constructive relationship between
Russia and NATO will clearly be also in the interest
of all other nations of Central and Eastern Europe. 

          Two weeks ago, NATO Ministers meeting in
Istanbul made clear that we envisage a broad and
enhanced dialogue and cooperation beyond PFP in areas
where Russia has unique and important contributions
to make, through: 

-    sharing of information on issues regarding
     politico-security related matters having a
     European dimension;

-    political consultations, as appropriate, on
     issues of common concern; and

-    cooperation in a range of security-related areas
     including, as appropriate, in the peacekeeping
     field.

          So we hope that the relationship which we
establish will lead to increased confidence between
us.  But it must also inspire confidence throughout
all of Europe.  Thus, our dialogue and cooperation
will be fully transparent, and NATO as well as Russia
will preserve the integrity of their respective
decision-taking processes.  In the same way that
Russia will retain its sovereign ability to make its
own decisions, so too will NATO. 

          In conclusion, let me say that we look
forward with great hope to Russia's full and active
participation in the Partnership for Peace.  Russia's
contribution to the Partnership will be invaluable. 
Let me assure you that NATO is committed to a strong
relationship of mutual trust and goodwill.  Today
marks a landmark in the development of post-Cold War
relations.

          Foreign Minister Kozyrev, again welcome to
NATO, and I now give you the floor.