Consiglio Atlantico Ministeriale Brussels, 16 Dec. 1997

Speaking Notes used by Minister Lamberto DINI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Alliance Adaptation Internal Adaptation I wish to express my appreciation to all within the Alliance that have strived to reach agreement on the new command structure. I trust that we will be able to solve the issues still pending so that the new command structure may enter into force at the time of the accession of the new members. The agreement reached for the southern region command configuration satisfies the increasing requirements of this key region, where today's major challenges to the Alliance are concentrated. Spain's integration into the Alliance's military structure represents an invaluable contribution to our collective strength in the Mediterranean and I welcome it wholeheartedly. Hungary request to be included in the southern region goes in the goes in the same direction and I also welcome it as an essential feature on the new NATO capabilities. It is our expectations that before too long also France will reach agreement to rejoin NATO integrated structures. With the new command structure, we can be confident about our common security in the southern region. As a consequence of the reorganization, the Alliance needs to reallocate manpower and other resources among the various commands. In so doing, we must have in mind that the southern region is the one that needs priority attention. External Adaptation I think that the Alliance is to be commended on the speedy and effective way in which the accession negotiations with Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic have been conducted. I welcome the three invitees' full acceptance of the political, military and financial obligation deriving from NATO membership. The issue of the commonly funded costs of enlargement has been well handled. The cost envisaged by NATO are manageable and affordable for both present and future members. I believe that there is a considerable margin for addressing the additional common costs through a rational reallocation of resources and the redefinition of priorities, rather than through increase in budgets and programmes. As we stated in Madrid, we believe that enlargement must be geographically balanced and should take into account in particular south Eastern Europe and the Balkans where threats to our common security may originate. In Madrid a political balance was reached between invitees and prospective candidates and the review date was set for the Summit in 1999. I wish to recall that it was only thanks to the precise terms set forth in paragraph 8 of the Madrid Declaration, that Italy was able to accept the minimum enlargement that was then decided. At present, Italy is developing with Romania and Slovenia, as well as with other countries of south-eastern Europe, an intense dialogue and a series of bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives in the security field. I hope that the Allies, and in Particular the United States, will support us in this endeavour.