Meeting of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in Ministerial Session NATO HQ Brussels 11 Dec 1996

Statement of H.E. Dr. Tritan Shehu Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania

Agenda Item 1: Partnership And Cooperation (NACC/PfP) Mr. Chairman, Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today's meeting gives me the pleasure to share with you the views of the Albanian government in relation to our cooperation in NACC and Partnership for Peace. Today, five years after its creation, we have the right to say that NACC has given a new and important dimension to all of us in order to overpass the long ideological division and the development of a healthy and successful cooperation for problems of security and stability in the widest opening that our history has ever known before. The NACC represents not only the creation and the development of the consultation and political cooperation process between NATO and young democracies, but even the starting point for the adaptation of the Alliance on new requirements for the security architecture. After five years of cooperation we may say the Declaration of December 1991 that "NACC will focus on security and related issues, including defence planning, arms control conceptual approaches, civil military relations", has served as the main basis of the activity to help the partner countries in the reforms' process in military, political, institutional and economic aspects in order to move forward and create tighter links. NACC played an important role on the increase of the political contacts and dialogue between partners. This initiative developed gradually by trying to adopt the changes on ground, by creating the necessary conditions for further steps like Partnership for Peace, up to the discussions for new institutional measures depended on time and the continuation of the process. NACC also brought by sensitive effects in the increase of understanding and security in Central and eastern Europe. The expansion of NACC in 36 different countries is another example of its positive role. Looking over the activity as a rich heritage, we may say that actually NACC compared with its original form, has overpassed and fulfilled the wishes and the aims of the Eastern and Central Europe, in order to secure a better place in the planning and decision-making processes, but it presently seeks a renewed institutional order. From its presentation, Partnership for Peace was immediately profiled as a new kind of initiative, destined to cover a part of the existing vacuum of our Continent created earlier on. It effected deeply the domestic and foreign policy of the member countries and stirred the development of the democratic civil-military relations. Being one of the first member countries, Albania was deeply oriented towards the completion of the principals and objectives expressed in PfP and PARP documents. Our active participation was put into practice through mutual and bilateral exercises, where our army showed to be modern and western oriented. We are convinced, this active participation has been the best view of our abilities enhanced in relation to defence and the strategic position of our country, and will contribute to the effective increase of the Alliance. Thus the Alliance will become more flexible for the completion of its traditional mission in the collective defence and the management of new regional crisis. Mr. Chairman, The Democratic Government of Albania from the start of its activity, considered and still considers the membership in the Altantic Alliance and its partnership, to be of a cardinal Strategy for the National Security. Thus, Albania views its integration into NATO, not simply as a means to improve its present security, but as an historical and long-term change which will definitely prepare the entry of the country and the Albanian society to the European blending processes. It is very clear, that the tight concept of Security consumption without any contribution, seems to be a notion which belongs to the past. Thus, Albania by seriously engaging to its involvement in the Alliance, is giving every day its contribution to the protection and reinforcement of security in the region, which is known to be traditionally stirred by. A policy as such, has always been supported by the majority of the Albanian people, which confirms once more our psychological and spiritual western affiliation. Actually more than 90% of the Albanians support our membership in NATO and the stand of all the political forces is in favour of this membership. On the other hand we believe that any extension of the Alliance in the Balkans, not only will expand the security zone but will be an important contribution to establish a healthy ground for the long-term security. We hail the work done by SLG for the augmentation and the strengthening of Partnership for Peace. We have expressed our views in relation to this from the November the 15th meeting. We believe the creation of the Council of Atlantic Partnership, resulting by the dissolvement of NACC and PfP will be another development towards the deepening and expansion of all the aspects of the Atlantic cooperation with partner countries. The member countries will have an important role to the defence planning and political consultations, as well as new possibilities to engage in Atlantic structures, and to contribute sensitively in the drawing of a new architecture for the European security.