Opening of the ministerial meeting of the NACC/ Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Sintra, Portugal 30 May 1997

Statement of the State Secretary of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Jozef Sestak

Dear Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, The North Atlantic Cooperation Council and Partnership for Peace since their creation have become important elements of international relations and security in transatlantic space. Programs of practical co-operation have gradually created a new quality of relations between member states of the Alliance and former Warsaw Pact states, particularly after the implementation of Partnership for Peace. The Slovak Republic has always has interest and has extended great efforts to be an active partner. The progress we have achieved in the transformation process of our armed forces, fundamental improvement of mechanisms of civilian and democratic control of our military forces, as well as gradual modernization of our army, - including better possibilities of interoperability with NATO forces - all those are results of our resolute effort and close co-operation in the framework of the Partnership. This year will bring a number of principal steps, which will have a significant impact on patterns of co-operation established until now. In a few weeks heads of states and governments will decide at their Madrid summit on the invitation of first partner states to begin negotiations on accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. We do believe that this decision: will be taken after thoughtful consideration will take into account all complexities and existing sensitive ties in our region, and will bring the most positive effect on security and stability in our region. The Slovak Republic has various times emphasized on many occasions its interest in joining NATO and we believe that our arguments presented during our bilateral talks or individual dialogues with NATO will be carefully evaluated. We have been assured and we firmly believe that the process of the NATO enlargement will be continual. We welcome the fact that the decision about opening up the Alliance to new members is not the only step in creating a new security environment in Europe. Internal transformation of NATO, creating mechanisms of gradual implementation of principles of European security and Defensive identity within the Alliance, successful negotiations about the new pattern of relationship between NATO and the Russian Federation which resulted in signing the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, will al constitute a new dimension of security cooperation on our continent. In this context, we consider the establishing of EAPC of utmost importance, which due to its provenance could have legitimate ambitions to become a new, and due to its qualities, a enhanced mechanism of deeper political and military co-operation and of real partnership. The Slovak Republic welcomes the Basic Document of EAPC, which will enable partners to choose from large variety of fields and forms of cooperation, either on individual of group basis. We also appreciate that partner states will have greater opportunity to be involved in decision making and planning processes related to their participation in EAPC activities. The Slovak Republic supports creation of EAPC member. It is our conviction that common values and principles of plural democracy and socially oriented market economy join us to partner countries. However, we do not consider our active EAPC participation an alternative of Slovakia's NATO membership.