Mr.Chairman,
I am grateful to the Chairman in Office for this opportunity to address
the OSCE Summit. It is a significant occasion in our efforts to build
a more united and peaceful Europe. It is also the first time an OSCE
Summit has been addressed by a NATO Secretary General. My presence
here today shows how increasingly close and mutually supporting the
relationship between our two organisations has become.
This Summit underscores the OSCE's distinctive and vital contribution
to European security. The OSCE plays a unique role which sets it apart
from other international organisations. It stems from its comprehensive
membership and the persistent, progressive commitment of OSCE participating
States to develop the original Conference on Security and Co-operation
in Europe into the multi-faceted Organisation it is today.
Today's OSCE exemplifies the willingness of its participating States
to find innovative and flexible means to realise their vision of common
security and to assure a Europe without dividing lines. This objective
inspired those who laid the foundations through the Helsinki Final
Act of 1975 - and is just as vital today as it was then. NATO shares
the same goals. The Alliance's Fiftieth anniversary Summit in Washington
last April and our updated Strategic Concept confirmed that NATO remains
committed to advancing security, prosperity and democracy throughout
the Euro-Atlantic region.
NATO Allies fully support the OSCE's fundamental principles and its
comprehensive and co-operative approach to security. OSCE has an increasingly
important role in setting political norms and standards. Its vigorous
approach to conflict prevention and crisis management and its role
as a key framework for arms control negotiations are just some of
the areas in which it makes its distinctive contribution. The updated
version of the Vienna Document that has been approved, in the context
of this Summit, shows how committed all the OSCE participating States
are to strengthening stability and transparency in their military
relations. Moreover, NATO also welcomes the central role of the human
dimension in OSCE's comprehensive concept of security. The full respect
and implementation of the OSCE commitments is of immediate and legitimate
concern to all OSCE member States. These commitments cannot be considered
as falling exclusively within the domain of their internal affairs.
NATO welcomes the adoption at this Summit meeting of the OSCE Charter
on European Security ; in particular, the emphasis in the Charter
on closer co-operation among international organisations. NATO has
consistently stated its willingness to support OSCE's efforts to build
security and stability in Europe and, in particular rnal affairs.,
to support peacekeeping operations under the responsibility of the
OSCE. NATO Allies are therefore particularly pleased to note the progress
the OSCE has made in defining its contribution to peacekeeping operations.
NATO also welcomes the adoption of the Platform for Co-operative
Security. NATO Allies have already, in 1998, confirmed formally their
willingness to co-operate with other organisations in the spirit and
terms of the Platform. The Alliance's New Strategic Concept welcomes
close practical co-operation between NATO and the OSCE, especially
to bring peace to the former Yugoslavia. An outstanding example of
such co-operation is that which has developed between OSCE and IFOR
- and now SFOR - in Bosnia. Wider co-operation has developed in the
areas of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, crisis management and
post-conflict rehabilitation.
Kosovo has raised OSCE - NATO co-operation to a still higher level.
First the unique nature of the co-operation between NATO and the OSCE's
Kosovo Verification Mission saw the two organisations working creatively
together in very demanding circumstances. Now KFOR continues to support
the OSCE - and other organisations involved in the UNMIK effort -
in particular by providing the secure environment necessary for them
to carry out their important work. NATO stands ready to further develop
this co-operation in the years to come. Indeed, security is not the
concern of one organisation, but is a global concern which will only
be properly achieved through co-operation between all relevant organisations.
We always need to look for new and better ways to integrate military
and civilian efforts. In this regard, NATO believes that the Rapid
Expert Assistance and Co-operations Teams (REACT) concept is a key
innovation of the Charter on European Security. NATO welcomes OSCE's
commitment to develop this civilian capability, which will contribute
to a comprehensive crisis response capability in Europe.
Let me close by welcoming the completion of the process of adapting
the CFE Treaty. The NATO Allies have worked hard in Brussels and Vienna
to bring about this result. Our contribution to the adapted Treaty
is a substansive one. NATO Allies now pledge to work towards bringing
the adapted Treaty into force. NATO countries are, let us be blunt,
concerned about continued Russian non-compliance with certain Treaty
Limits. However, we positively note Russia's commitment to comply
with all the Treaty's main provisions, including flank limitations.
We all note Russia's assurances that its exceeding of CFE limits in
the North Caucasus wil be of a temporary nature. NATO Allies expect
Russia to honour its pledge to return to CFE limits as soon as possible
and, while limits are being exceeded, to provide maximum transparency,
in accordance with the CFE and the Vienna Document.
In fulfilling our commitments to the high standards of the Organisation
for Security and Cooperation in Europe, we all contribute to our common
goal : a secure and stable Europe, in which countries and organisations
work together to build lasting peace, true democracy, and stable Europe,
in which countries and organisations work together to build lasting
peace, true democracy, and basic human rights for all our peoples.