Meeting of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in Defence Ministers Session NATO HQ Brussels 17th Dec 1996

Opening Remarks by the Secretary General at the Press Conference with SACEUR

(18Kb) Before I take your questions, let me very briefly describe todays sessions. This morning, Ministers met in the Defence Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group -- "at 15" -- to review our defence plans for the next five years and to consider the Alliances nuclear posture. I am glad to be able to tell you that despite some delays in modernisation programmes, planned levels of forces and their equipment generally respond to the Alliances needs. This afternoon, all 16 Alliance Defence Ministers met in the Council in Defence Ministers Session to review and endorse our planning for the stabilisation force for Bosnia and to take stock of the Alliances internal adaptation. On Bosnia, in three days the IFOR operation will come to an end. It has been a remarkable success: Firstly, IFOR has restored the peace in Bosnia. This has made civilian implementation possible and has created the conditions for a gradual return to normal life. Secondly, IFOR has shown that the Alliances structures and assets can be used effectively for important new missions in support of a peace process. Thirdly, IFOR has proven that NATO forces can work closely together with non-NATO forces, including those of Russia. Fourthly, IFORs support to civil implementation has shown how international organizations (NATO, OSCE, the EU, UNHCR, WEU) can mutually reinforce each other in a very practical way. None of these results would have been possible without the professionalism and dedication of the IFOR commanders and the troops, from NATO and non-NATO countries alike. Taking into account troop rotation, approximately 100,000 troops have served in Bosnia. I would like to thank COMIFOR, COMARRC and the other commanders, as well as all the service men and women, who together have formed the backbone of IFOR in guaranteeing peace. SACEUR, General George Joulwan and Secretary General Javier Solana. (22Kb) Let me also express my deep appreciation for the way in which SACEUR has led the IFOR operation. Gen. Joulwan and his staff have provided the crucial link between Brussels and Sarajevo. La Résolution 1088 adoptée par le Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies sinscrit dans le contexte du Chapitre VII. Nous sommes donc à la veille du lancement de la Force de stabilisation, ou SFOR, force qui succédera à lIFOR. Les Ministres de la défense ont autorisé aujourdhui le SACEUR à émettre lordre dactivation, qui rendra possible une transition harmonieuse, ce vendredi 20 décembre. Les 16 pays de lOTAN participeront à la SFOR. Aux 17 pays non OTAN contribuant à la SFOR, dont la Russie, sont des pays partenaires. Tout comme lIFOR, la SFOR sera impartiale, et nhésitera pas à faire usage de la force contre quiconque menacerait la paix. Les membres de cette coalition sans précédent continueront dagir de concert pour la consolidation de la paix. Finally, let me remind you that NATO is planning for an 18 month mission for SFOR. Its force levels will be reviewed at 6 and 12 months, with a view to shifting the focus from stabilization to deterrence and completing the mission by June 1998. The ultimate aim is to create the conditions in which a NATO-led military presence is no longer required. Creating these conditions depends not only on SFOR and the other international organizations involved, but also fundamentally on the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the leadership of Croatia and Serbia. We expect the Bosnian Presidency and the leadership of the Federation and Republika Srpska to live up to the commitments undertaken in London and to provide fully and wholeheartedly the support which they have promised to SFOR. We are prepared to commit our soldiers and our resources for another 18 months, but we expect in return a concerted effort by the leaders and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to make the peace endure. For tomorrow, our meeting "at 16" will resume and will concentrate on the Alliances external adaptation We will also meet with Russian Defence Minister Rodionov tomorrow. Let me now turn to SACEUR to provide you with more detail on the SFOR Operation and then we will take your questions.