Header
Updated: 13-May-2002 Speeches

Meeting
of the EAPC
at the level
of Foreign
Ministers
Brussels
16 Dec. 1999

"Co-operation in EAPC/PfP: opportunities and challenges in light of the Kosovo crisis"

Address by H.E. Mr. Algirdas Saudargas,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania

Secretary General,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen

A year has passed since our last formal meeting in this format, a year of significant political decisions taken in Washington, Cologne, Istanbul and recently in Helsinki. It will be right to say that conflict in Kosovo has had its impact on at least part of these decisions. Crisis triggered NATO's Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI) and influenced processes of co-operation in the security and defence area among Europeans. It also once again confirmed the need to develop further the Alliance interaction with partners.

There is a clear evidence that NATO's active and extensive political and operational engagement in the Balkans has been and will continue to be indispensable for stabilisation of the region. Lithuania fully subscribes to the Alliance's commitment to enhance stability and security in the Balkans. We continue our participation in SFOR and since mid-September our military unit together with the Polish contingent is part of the KFOR.

I agree that EAPC and PfP framework, given its co-operative nature and inclusive format, can make significant contribution to long-term stability and co-operation in the South Eastern European region. We welcome the work of the Ad hoc Working Group on Prospects for Regional Co-operation in South Eastern Europe. We noted identified areas for co-operative initiatives and priorities for initial work that the Group has recommended. In the latter context, Lithuania is ready to share its experience with South Eastern European countries particularly in the areas of civil-military relations and democratic control of the military as well as in the field of airspace management and its civil-military institutional co-ordination.

It is important to emphasise that NATO's activities with regard to the Balkans are supportive of the goals of the Stability Pact for South East Europe and therefore are carried out in well co-ordinated manner with all other efforts of International Community.

Heads of State and Government agreed in Washington that Enhanced and more Operational Partnership (EMOP) were a package of measures that would considerably improve the effectiveness of the Partnership. In Lithuania, we view an added value of the EMOP in the broader context of its practical application.

Indeed, the progress in its implementation will support and help Lithuania to enhance the quality and effectiveness of its involvement in NATO-led operations. In this context, the Political-Military Framework for NATO-led PfP Operations (PMF) is a fundamental document as it sets out principles and modalities for our involvement in political consultations and decision making, in operational planning and in command arrangements of such operations. Currently SFOR and KFOR provide an excellent testing ground for the Framework's application in practise.

Moreover, the EMOP will complement important initiatives of the Alliance at nineteen, such as the Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI). Here we see an important added value in the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) for it links together the various elements of PfP to produce a coherent and effective process for improvement of Lithuania's capabilities to operate together with NATO forces. In relation to Lithuania's active participation in LITPOLBAT and BALTBAT, I would place a particular emphasis on the issue of multinational forces within the context of this Concept. I believe that the two years ahead of us shall prove that implementation of the Concept will have had a major positive effect on the enhanced operational capabilities and readiness of both Allies and Partners.

Finally, we view Enhanced Partnership in direct relation to Lithuania's Membership Action Plan (MAP). Lithuania has been an active participant in PfP and will remain fully involved in the Enhanced and more Operational Partnership during its accession to NATO and beyond. We have prepared and submitted to NATO our National NATO Integration Programme where we endorse our strong determination to attain objectives in order to fulfil membership requirements. We realise that enhanced PfP co-operation coupled with co-ordinated bilateral programmes constitute a set of mechanisms that will be fully used by Lithuania for its membership preparations.

I'd like to welcome the fact that yesterday NATO Foreign Ministers devoted considerable attention to the MAP questions. I believe, this reflects the Alliance's commitment to enlargement process which will lead to further invitations in coming years.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Last Friday the European Council in Helsinki adopted a fundamental decision to start EU membership talks with six candidate states, Lithuania among them. This is a recognition of our achievements and Lithuania is ready to start membership talks early next year.

However, the European Union for Lithuania is also the Union of countries with the increased determination to co-ordinate efforts in response to external political and security challenges.

As I mentioned at the very beginning of my intervention, the Kosovo crisis has revealed the fact that European countries have to have effective European crisis management capabilities. We regard the results of the EU Summit in Helsinki as a major step forward in strengthening of the common European policy on security and defence. At the same time these decisions will contribute to the further development of ESDI and will reinforce the Trans-Atlantic link.

From our perspective, the common European policy on security and defence is an issue for consideration among all contributors to the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area, including the EU and NATO candidate countries. New institutional structure should foresee the establishment of regular and permanent framework for dialogue that would include all European partners.

Dear Colleagues,

Let me make some remarks on the issue of great importance for all international community.

We are concerned about the situation in the North Caucasus and fully share concerns and appeals to Russian Federation expressed recently in Helsinki by European Council and yesterday by Alliance in its Final Communiqué. We urge the Russian Federation to end the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force in Chechnya and seek for political solution of this crisis, to respect the principles of international humanitarian law and to create appropriate conditions for international organisations enabling them to provide humanitarian aid.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Using this opportunity, I would like to inform the Council that under the joint Lithuanian-Slovenian initiative the two Governments plan to hold an international conference on "NATO's role in the Changing Security Environment in Europe".

NATO's means and tools enabling to address new challenges and threats at the beginning of the 21st century, strengthening of the European Security and Defence Identity, and the question of how to further improve interaction among NATO, EU and - not the least - their Partners, will be the main issues to be discussed at this international conference which is going to be held in May, 2000, in Vilnius.

Thank you.

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