Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Florence 25 May 2000

Address by H.E. Mr. Petre Roman Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, It is a privilege for me to be here today and to have the opportunity to present an inside view on the important role of this joint consultative forum. It is also a pleasure to welcome the 26 member of the PfP programme, Croatia. This presence is an important asset for the future of our region. I do believe that the value of the EAPC lies in the willingness of its members to raise to a higher level their political and military dialogue and their joint commitment to strengthen and extend peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. This is possible because - when security issues are addressed - there will always be common values and principles to share with neighbours, partners and friends. In developing this framework for consultation, the EAPC has become a solid part of today's security architecture. Recent experiences demonstrate that crises in Europe have to be addressed jointly by the whole European and Euro-Atlantic community. Indeed, solidarity, mutual reinforcement, inclusiveness and transparency are - and should continue to be - the guiding principles of,: our common endeavours. Adding more political and military options to our menu when, responding to crises should be our common aim. At the same time, I do believe that EAPC should have a more prominent role in enhancing j¿ the preventive action in crisis management. 'EAPC is a perfect body for political j".' consultations among states, and we have to enhance its functional role. There is no need to,' be faced again with another Kosovo-type crisis to leam what we should do to manage such situations. In our view, one of the most valuable lessons learned in Kosovo is the fact that it ' would be better to timely co-ordinate our common political efforts in order to avoid human suffering. Military actions should remain a means of last resort. I found myself in full agreement with the new SACEUR, General Joseph Ralston, when he considered that NATO's chief strength is not in its military forces but in the unified spirit of a free European people. I believe that each and every nation is able to contribute - more or less visible - to the strengthening of this "spirit of unity". I also share the opinion that NATO has been - and still is - a catalyst for peace, stability, freedom and prosperity. Today, more than ever, we see a stronger Alliance ready not only to defend and sustain democratisation, but also to deter serious antidemocratic relapses that could threaten the international security. In this regard, Kosovo is a vivid example. I will, therefore, join my voice with the Secretary General of NATO in expressing the view that learning and applying the lessons of Kosovo is a key priority. Indeed "Lessons learned" from Kosovo are quite numerous. One of the questions raised . was whether it was possible to avoid this crisis. Maybe, maybe not. That is why events carrying potential risks have to be controlled, especially in the context of globalisation and liberalisation. One can say that the Kosovo situation was not "the model" of a crisis. However, the EAPC and PfP mechanisms proved to be valuable tools in solving and managing problems. Ladies and Gentlemen, Romania, as I am sure you are aware, pays special attention to regional co-operation, in order to improve its standing in reconstruction, economic development and security-related issues. The Treaty for privileged partnership and co-operation between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, initialled in Chisinau on April 27, this year, reflects the very specific nature of the relationship between the two countries and establishes their mutual support in the processes for European integration, identified with a common strategic aim. It also states the firm support of the two countries to the universal principles and values of liberty, democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights. It is my deep-rooted conviction that by participating in the OSCE Troika and assuming the OSCE Chairmanship in 2001, Romania will offer another proof of its impartiality and vocation as an element of equilibrium. In exercising this position, we shall act also as a promoter of confidence and stability in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian area. Therefore, we shall do our best to consolidate the link between the EAPC and the OSCE frameworks by addressing fundamental and common values, such as the belief in individual liberty, free market and the rule of law. In addressing regional co-operation, we sustain the Alliance's endeavours to identify ways and means for streamlining different PfP related activities, currently undertaken between NATO member states and partners. We are ready to contribute to any improvement of the quality of PfP related processes, in order to ensure the best possible use of the potential of partnership and co operation and to avoid unnecessary duplications. We will pay particular attention to working towards the implementation of the Washington Summit initiatives. The expanded and adapted PARP, with its comprehensive package of Partnership Goals recently accepted by Romania, the opportunities introduced by the Operational Capabilities Concept and the PfP Training and Education Enhancement Programme will provide us with the necessary framework for a better allocation of available resources in all defence-related sectors. At the same time, they are going to be valuable tools for supporting MAP requirements through PfP. My country's contributions to the EAPC framework have been designed for the mutual benefit of all EAPC members. In this context, as we are supposed to endorse the report on EAPC activities in the first half of 2000, I will limit myself to recalling that, under the priority area of crisis management, an EAPC regional workshop on "Enabling Mechanisms and Generic Agreements" took place in Romania in March 2000, and afterwards, in April, Bucharest hosted an EAPC seminar on "Planning, Programming and Budgeting in Defence". At the same time, I want to express my satisfaction that the joint UK-Lithuanian-Romanian proposals to strengthen the work of the EAPC are currently in the process of being implemented. Consultation, transparency and exchange of information are already solid EAPC assets. My country is determined to work, together with other EAPC members, for these assets to be further developed, thus making EAPC . an even more valuable tool in addressing security risks and concerns. Furthermore, we are decisively committed to anchoring regional co-operation in the mainstream of the Euro-Atlantic evolution. The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe proves how important it is to have a synergy of all partners involved in building security, stability and prosperity in Europe. The SECI Regional Centre for Combating Cross-Border Crime is an excellent example for the entire process of co-operation projected by the Stability Pact. We believe that action oriented projects with a coherent regional dimension - such as the "South-Eastern Europe Common Assessment Paper on Regional / Security Challenges" or the "Development of Conflict Analysis and Resolution Capacity-Building in Romania and the SEE Region" are going to mark a real breakthrough in) Balkan co-operation and in the crisis management global system. In this respect, it is also worth mentioning here the "Vocational Training of Unemployed Military Officers" a project which has recently received financial assistance from the Donors' Conference in Brussels. It is my pleasure to note that this project was supported by NATO and is going to be pursued further, in Romania and Bulgaria, as a first step in the reintegration of demobilised military personal into the labour market. Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, Over the past decade it has become more and more obvious that most of the countries;. belonging to "our" part of the world could not imagine their own future but within the European and Euro-Atlantic community. Moreover, it is my strong belief that a stable and prosperous South-East Europe needs above all a chance to see its dignity and strategic: options acknowledged. On the other hand, my country recognises that the security of Europe and North America ". lies in maintaining a strong transatlantic link. We therefore welcome the commitment of the European Union to build a Common European Security and Defence Policy that will fulfil Europe's aspirations and strengthen the Transatlantic link. We are ready to contribute to these efforts. As all delegations present here are very much aware, my country has a clear option: membership in the Alliance. We consider the MAP and our National Annual Program for Preparing the Integration into NATO both as a vehicle and an intermediary stage towards Romania's full integration into NATO. We are confident that we can and we will make a substantial contribution to the security interests of the Alliance. We therefore believe that, by continuing "the open door policy", NATO will become "the long term investor" in European stability and we see the recently signed "Vilnius Statement" as one of the first steps in achieving this vision. Indeed, we are firmly convinced that the integration of our democracies into NATO and the European Union will facilitate the creation of a free, prosperous and undivided Europe. As you know, in Vilnius, the ministers of foreign affairs of the aspiring countries have called upon the member states of NATO to fulfill the promise of the Washington Summit and begin the completion of a Europe whole and free at the next NATO Summit in 2002!' In this respect I share the view that NATO should clearly show that it can react in a flexible manner to the political challenges of the new era. In Romania, we are ready to be! integrated into NATO. Now, we are waiting for NATO to be ready to extend this kind of invitation. We really hope it will do so in 2002. Thank you very much for your attention.