Statement
by Mrs.
Nadezhda MIHAYLOVA
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
Dear Secretary General,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me start by welcoming and congratulating the Republic of Croatia
as a new PfP nation. The inclusion of Croatia into the Euroatlantic family
will definitely enhance the EAPC assets for crisis management in the most
sensitive zones of the Western Balkans.
Beyond any doubt, capacity to respond to actual and potential crisis
has come to be identified as a key task and greatest challenge the Alliance
is facing today. An impartial risks assessment of existing and potential
security challenges in Europe impels to the conclusion that article-5
contingencies are less likely to arise than non-article 5 crisis situations.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo, the growing Euroatlantic community
of Allies and Partners did pass a vital test in this respect. The contributions
of NATO and non-NATO nations to SFOR and KFOR emphasize the strategic
value of the Partnership. I would like to reiterate that both in SFOR
and KFOR, Bulgaria and other NATO applicants are giving substance to our
political will and capability to effectively contribute to common security.
In this connection I would like to inform you that Bulgaria is preparing
to dispatch in the nearest future an additional number of police personnel,
up to 50, in support of the international police force in Kosovo.
The engagement to defend shared values proves the very rationale to widen
the Euroatlantic community of free and democratic nations. Enlargement
prospects should not be held hostage to narrow national interests but
be pursued in the context of clearly perceived advantages to common security.
We very much hope that in 2002, when reviewing the process of enlargement,
NATO member countries will approach enlargement as a part of a much broader,
post-Cold War strategy to help create a peaceful, undivided and democratic
Europe. Enlargement is not less urgent now than it was in 1997 when the
Allies took their decision to invite new members.
With the completion of the first Membership Action Plan cycle, we are
able to draw our first conclusions. It is important, however, to reiterate
that the decision on future NATO enlargement will be a political one.
The Membership Action Plan should not substitute political decisions,
but rather be supportive and justifying.
What is at stake in further NATO enlargement, is our countries' security
and the overall European stability. The clear awareness of that was behind
the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of 9 applicant countries
adopted recently in Vilnius. This statement represents a united drive
to make sure that NATO enlargement is up and running.
I would like to stress the importance of NATO's South East European Initiative
(SEEI) as a value-added and result-oriented instrument to enhance regional
security. Bulgaria is aspiring to play a significant role along all tracks
which the SEEI has been developing since Washington. In this respect I
would make reference to the initiative to establish a Steering group on
SEE (SEEGROUP) as a mechanism for practical defence co-operation. Another
possible venue of security and defence co-operation is through strengthening
of and engaging the 19+7 Consultative forum on SEE in closer consultations
on other regional security concerns.
NATO's South East European Initiative is fully in line with the objectives
of the Stability Pact for SEE. We rely on NATO's political support regarding
the implementation of the objectives of the Stability Pact for SEE in
areas that have an immediate positive impact on security and co-operation
in the region - infrastructure projects, operational development of the
Multinational Peace Force in South-Eastern Europe and activation of the
Engineer Task Force. We highly appreciate the role of NATO in promoting
projects related to social adaptation of military personnel released in
the course of defense reforms in Bulgaria and welcome NATO's support for
enhanced regional cooperation in the area of disaster relief and disaster
management.
The role of NATO as a generator of political support within the Stability
Pact framework contributes to promoting the general security framework
for peace and stability-building activities in the region. I am confident
that continued commitment of the Alliance to peace and security building
in South-Eastern Europe, directly and through EAPC/PfP cooperation tools,
but also through NATO enlargement policy and its related mechanisms, remains
a vital pre-requisite for success of the efforts of the international
community.
Thank you for your attention.
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