At the meeting of the EAPC at the level of Foreign Ministers Luxembourg 29 mai 1998

Statement by H.E. Mr Andrei Gabriel Plesu Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania. Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, I am always on the side of those who would use any opportunity to plead for enlargement of any peace keeping and security-providing organisation. But today, having two or three minutes for my speech, I might find a reason to be against enlargement; because the more numerous we are, the less we are speaking. That is not necessarily bad, but in the near future we shall only be able to pronounce very quick aphorisms. The Romania aphorism would be something like that: it feels good to be part of such an efficient and open-minded community as the EAPC. Being a part, which means being a partner, is sometimes, more stimulating than being an ally, which doesn't mean at all we'd give up being allies. An alliance is a contract. A partnership is a spontaneous need for solidarity, a genuine need to commit one self to a common goal, assuming, sometimes, - in all responsibility - more duties than rights. This is precisely our case and the case of other partner countries. We will continue to actively participate in the enhanced PfP programmes and organise substantive activities in the framework of the PfP, whose role in the field of cooperation on security should, of course, be strengthened. Having said that I would like to mention that in early 1999 it would be five years from the start of PfP. Such a moment deserves in my opinion being market appropriately and Romania would be ready to host an international event of this kind, a senior level symposium perhaps. Mr. Secretary General, Dear Colleagues, Confidence building and conflict prevention are two areas of greatest importance for us all. Romania is highly committed to bring any possible contribution in this respect. Through the bilateral approach Romania has established good neighbourly relations with all the countries in the region. Also bilaterally we have continued and developed our cooperation with the other countries in the area. Regionally, several cooperation mechanisms have been defined and institutionalised. Most relevant to our topic of debate are the trilateral arrangement with Bulgaria and Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldavia meant to cope with the new security challenges. In the same context work is underway for the creation in Romania of a regional Centre for fight against corruption and organised crime, under SECI aegis. Great part of our efforts are devoted to the participation in multinational peace keeping initiatives in the South and Central Europe (Romania - Hungarian battalion, Central European Cooperation, the Multinational Peace Force - South-eastern Europe/MPFSEE) or originating in the opposite part of Europe (I am referring to the Danish initiative - SHRIBRIG). Apart from the immediate objectives of improving our military training by applying NATO members' standards and increasing our cooperation with the Allies and other Partners, we are also looking toward the emergence of a "community culture" within allrank military establishment, an essential element of confidence building throughout the Euro-Atlantic area. The continuation and strengthening in our participation in SFOR operation is also of particular importance to us. Romania is currently in the process of ratification of its concrete contribution to the follow-on force. That would consist of about 200 military personnel, with a diversified structure, including one additional military police platoon and a 400-manpower infantry battalion as a strategic reserve. We are also waiting for a relevant decision concerning o possible Romanian involvement in the post-UNPREDEP security arrangements in FYRO Macedonia. We are following with particular concern the developments in Kosovo. We welcome the efforts of the international community directed at the peaceful settlement of this crisis. It is our view that the measures adapted by NATO yesterday would greatly help in reaching at such a solution. As a partner country, directly neighbouring the region, Romania is ready to joining these efforts. Finally, I would like to say that we do share the concerns already expressed by several speakers referring to the recent nuclear tests in South Asia. Indeed non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is one of the most important guarantees for the security we want to build world wide. We are eager to know more and if possible to get involved into reshaping a new strategic concept for NATO. We had to go through different steps of interrogation. First, this was a question about "if" are we going or are we not going to be integrated. Now, there is a question about when. It seems that the next question will be: "into what", which is a very exciting question. I don't want to close my statement without welcoming the smooth proceeding of the ratification process for the three invitees, in several NATO member countries, including the recent vote in the US Congress. We are now more confident that the enlargement process will take e new step forward in the near future, on the basis of Madrid provisions. At any time Romania will prove that she is ready for this step.