EXERCISE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT
                     27TH OCTOBER 1994

          CLOSING REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL


          It gives me great pleasure to be here at the
closing ceremony of this exercise -- the first to be
conducted on the territory of an ally under Partnership
for Peace.  An American politician once described an
economist as someone who tells you what to do with your
money after you have spent it.  My job today as Secretary
General is not to explain the significance of what you
have done after you have done it, but rather to express
appreciation for the fact you have done it so well.

          This exercise has a very impressive political
pedigree.  The NATO Summit last January launched PfP and
agreed that as part of this new Partnership, there should
take place the first military exercises between Allies and
Partners.  At that time, it seemed rather ambitious to
think of planning and executing a military exercise from
scratch, especially so quickly.  I am pleased to see that
the aims of our Summit leaders have been met and even
exceeded.  This year we have managed to conduct three
exercises:  one in Poland, one at sea in the Baltic and
now one here in The Netherlands.

          There is thus great momentum behind Partnership
for Peace, and it is growing.  Next year we hope to build
on the success of what you have achieved, and move on to
more complex and demanding exercises.

          The exercise "Cooperative Spirit" was well
named.  It is part of the much wider PfP effort to build
political and military cooperation throughout Europe, and
indeed to effect a profound transformation in the
relationship between and among Allies and partner nations. 
If we are to overcome the misunderstandings and suspicions
that have divided this continent in the past, and to build
a new Europe free from war and from the fear of war, then
we have got to accelerate the process of pan-European
integration.  This is the purpose of PfP in the military
sphere, and the fact that today in the Netherlands so many
military men who once trained to fight each other, are now
cooperating together and learning from each other, ought
to give us great hope for the future.  You are, in fact,
building the confidence and trust without which our common
vision of a Europe whole and free would only be a slogan,
not the reality we see taking shape here before our eyes.

          The military in both NATO and Partner countries
are also helping to lead the way in the international
community's efforts to adapt itself to meet the new
challenges of peacekeeping and conflict prevention.  You
are thus helping to create the conditions for peace and
stability not only here in the heart of Europe, but also
beyond.  The situation in the former Yugoslavia is the
most obvious example of the kinds of challenges we may
increasingly have to tackle.  The task of getting food and
supplies through to hungry and besieged peoples of the
region is difficult and dangerous, and it has required
highly trained and organised forces from a wide diversity
of nations capable of operating together.  Through
exercises such as "Cooperative Spirit" we will improve the
capacity of the international community to respond to
similar crises in the future.  Our hope is that these
exercises will encourage a spirit of openness and the
ability to communicate easily and effectively. 
From what I have seen, you have made an excellent start.

          Before closing, I would like to thank our hosts
for their support for this exercise.  The Netherlands was
the first country to offer to host a PfP exercise on its
territory, and our Dutch friends are largely responsible
for having made "Cooperative Spirit" such an evident
success.  Mr. Minister, I thank you, your staff and all
those involved for your hospitality and dedication.

          Let me conclude by citing again the significance
of this exercise as we work together to achieve the goals
of Partnership for Peace.  It gives me great personal
satisfaction to witness the beginning of this great
enterprise of cooperation to which NATO is deeply
committed.  I congratulate all of you for a job well done.