EAPC Meeting in Defense Ministers Session 3 Dec. 1999

Statement by Pavol Kanis, Minister of Defense of the Slovak Republic Mr. Secretary General, dear Colleagues, The Ministerial PARP Guidance represents another significant political document. This document initiates the process of implementing the extended and adapted PARP within the Partnership for Peace. The recent events have shown the Partner Nations not only have confirmed their preparedness, but also the ability to contribute the enhancement and defence of security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The PfP Training and Education Enhancement Program (TEEP) and Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) provide additional room for an even more efficient use of the Partner nations potential in preparation and during conduct of such operations. The Slovak Republic continues to support the process of enhancing the role and capabilities of European countries in the area of defence and security which is under way within NATO, WEU and the EU. We identify with the principle enshrined in the new Strategic Concept whereby the Alliance fully supports the development of the European security and defence identity within NATO. It is our conviction that this kind of perception of enhancing the European capabilities will not only preserve, but also strengthen the fundamental attributes of transatlantic alliance, i.e. collective defence and a strong transatlantic link. In order to strengthen the co-operation between the Slovak Republic and NATO, the MCWG meeting in Slovakia last month played an important role. This meeting has, for the first time, fully and critically assessed the military experience from the first wave of the Alliance's enlargement. In the conclusion, allow me to express my conviction that the Ministerial Guidance adopted today is not only an expression of simple implementation of the Washington Summit resolution, but also a solid foundation of the enhanced partnership for the new millennium. Thank you for your attention.