EAPC Ministerial Meeting 9 June 2000

Intervention of Latvia's Minister of Defence, Girts Valdis Kristovskis Thank you Mr. Chairman. Dear Colleagues, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen! In considering the topic before us today, I would like to address three issues. Firstly, the way in which the new NATO initiatives have assisted conflict prevention and crisis management. Secondly, the impact of the European Union's increasing involvement in these matters. Thirdly, Latvia's engagement in and contribution to these processes. NATO initiatives NATO's leading role in conflict prevention and crisis management has been illustrated by the crises in the Balkan region. The SFOR and KFOR operations have shown the need to make effective use of partner capabilities and to develop these further. In this respect, effective partner involvement in crisis management and conflict prevention requires not only political will. It also demands appropriate military capability and readiness. That is why initiatives such as the Operational Capabilities Concept and the Training and Education Enhancement programme are so important. They help promote greater interoperability with more rational planning and more effective and practical contribution towards operations by partners. As a candidate country Latvia supports NATO's aims and policies. By gradually increasing our military capabilities we take on more joint responsibility for the strengthening of defence and security in the Transatlantic area. The PfP, PARP and MAP processes promote the gradual growth of Latvia's military capabilities. We use NATO planning principles as a basis for this growth. The sixty one Partnership Goals have given an added impulse for this growth. I can assure you that these Partnership Goals have become the cornerstone in the development of Latvia's Armed Forces. Indeed preparing out Membership Action Plan for 2001 has become a joint process with our Armed Forces Development Plan. NATO and EU roles We welcome the development of the European Union's capabilities in Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management. Latvia is convinced that by enhancing Europe's Crisis management, NATO's military strength will be increased. We consider that NATO will need to continue to play its leading role in the future in large Crisis Management operations in Europe. This will ensure a strong transatlantic link and US support for Europe. Latvia is developing military capabilities which we envisage being available for both NATO and European operations. Latvia's engagement and contributions The experience that we as a small state have gained from our involvement in SFOR, KFOR and AFOR is extremely valuable. That is why Latvia is determined to continue to participate actively in NATO led operations. Our men have been able to serve in Danish, British and Swedish contingents in NATO led peacekeeping operations. We are very grateful that this has allowed our armed forces not only to actively take part in these operations. It has also given them the chance to gain valuable military experience. It has encouraged us to broaden our contribution to security by, for example, assisting Georgia with border monitoring. In addition our substantial Baltic military and defence cooperation has now become a unique and valuable asset in itself, which are beginning to share more widely with other partners. This close cooperation in turn has helped us to develop further our own military capabilities. We are pleased that the value that this cooperation brings to multinational operations has been acknowledged by the mentioning of the Baltic Battalion and the joint Baltic Naval Squadron in the "PARP 2000 Partnership Goals Summary Report" before us today. Thank you.