At the Ministerial Meeting of the Euro- Atlantic Partnership Council Brussels, 17 Dec. 1997

Remarks by His Excellency Bronislaw Geremek, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am still under great impression of yesterday's ceremony of signing of the Protocols on accession of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the North Atlantic Treaty. I do not have to convince you this was a very special moment for us. I would venture an opinion that this was also an important event for all other Partners who aspire to NATO membership. I hope they will consider it a source of hope and encouragement. As those nations continue on their way to future integration with the Alliance, they may count on our understanding, support and solidarity. I wish to stress today that the prospect of membership has in no way altered Poland's commitment to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Partnership for Peace Programme. These two institutions have already proven to be important elements of the European security architecture on their own merit. They are important for both Partners and members of NATO - they are important for Europe. Poland will continue to work to develop and strengthen them. Mr. Chairman, When we worked to develop the EAPC concept, Poland argued that we should not try to write a detailed blueprint for the new structure, to look for answers to all questions. We believed that the creation of the EAPC should be a process, not an act; that the new body should be given a margin of freedom in developing those of its elements which would best meet expectations of its members and respond to the emerging challenges. This view, shared by many other nations, has been validated by the development of the Council to date. In Sintra, we only sketched a general vision of the enhanced relations between NATO and its Partners. Since then, many of our recommendations have been developed, fine-tuned and in some cases even implemented. The EAPC has already proven to be a flexible structure, able to cater to the needs of its members, to give a new impetus to the consultation and cooperation processes, and to support the enhanced Partnership for Peace. The process of the Council's development is not complete and we should continue to look for new venues and forms of cooperation. We would like to see Partners' role in this process be enhanced to the greatest extent possible. I wish to assure you that Poland will contribute to it as a Partner and as a member of the Alliance. The EAPC Action Plan reflects the dynamic progress in our cooperation. It is ambitious, yet realistic and pragmatic. It brings new quality into our cooperation and creates new possibilities for joint actions with other security structures, especially with the OSCE and WEU. We will advocate an early approval and consistent implementation of the Plan. We observe with utmost satisfaction the development of the Partnership for Peace. We know the value of the programme in preparations for NATO membership. We also fully appreciate its significance for nations wishing to develop cooperation with NATO without joining its structures. We are particularly pleased to see the more and more ambitious opening of NATO bodies to cooperation with Partners. We expect the newest arrangements to become especially attractive and useful. Creating Partnership posts at NATO headquarters is a logical step, reflecting the key role Partners should play in planning and implementation of concrete PfP programmes. No less important is the offer for Partners to establish their Military Representatives and to develop their cooperation with the Military Committee. We wish to take advantage of these and other initiatives. We will take active part in further discussions on how to make the Partnership more operational and better serve the interests of all partners. In this context, I would like to mention the Planning and Review Process. Its new formula may prove to be crucial in preparing for future PfP operations. Our rich and most positive experience of participation in the Process makes us take this opportunity to encourage all partner states who have not yet joined it to do so. Ladies and Gentlemen, The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a source of constant concern to all of us. The unquestionable success of the SFOR operation cannot obscure the fact that the progress in implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton accords is in many respects unsatisfactory. We realise that the ultimate success of the peace process may require extending the presence of international forces in Bosnia beyond June 1998. Poland will most favourably consider joining a new NATO-led operation if a decision to launch it is taken. Mr. Chairman, Fellow Foreign Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am sure that this year will be noted in all future history handbooks. The Madrid Summit, the launching of the EAPC, the signature of the NATO-Russia Founding Act and the NATO-Ukraine Charter, and finally the signature of the first three Accession Protocols - all these events have greatly contributed to our efforts to build a lasting, inclusive and working system of European security. It seems that at the end of this turbulent century, we are together moving in the right direction - toward a true Euro-Atlantic community of like-minded nations, united in their fundamental values and goals.