NATO HQ Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council 15 Dec. 2000

Speaking Points of H.E. Mr. Eamonn Ryan, Ambassador of Ireland, Head of Liaison Office to NATO Bosnia-Herzegovina Mr Petritsch's report brings home to us the relevance - and indeed the urgency - of the topic we are debating today, that is, enhancing Euro-Atlantic security through regional cooperation. Given the recent history of Bosnia-Herzegovina, progress towards reconciliation and an open society can only come slowly. It is however important to acknowledge that it this is happening and that High Representative Petritsch has had a large part in facilitating that vital process. The November elections were an example of gradual but positive change. While we might regret the continuing strength of the nationalist parties, there is a need to engage with them. Our own experience of reconciliation in Ireland has demonstrated that need. [The increasing rate of minority refugee returns is a hopeful sign. Coping with the associated problems must now be a priority. ] SFOR, although reduced in scale, continues to play a vital rôle in the maintenance of peace and stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ireland is proud of its continuing participation in SFOR. [The changing political environments in both Croatia and FRY have great potential to hasten the decline of ethnically-exclusivist politics in Bosnia-Herzegovina.] Kosovo In Kosovo, the recent violence in the Presevo valley area is a forceful reminder of the fragility of the progress so far achieved there. We recognise the excellent work of KFOR in halting the escalation of the problem. A stable security situation is the indispensable foundation of political and economic development. The status of KFOR forces in transit through the territory of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia remains to be resolved. For more than a year now, this has presented continuing operational difficulties for non-NATO KFOR troops, perhaps especially for the Irish transport contingent. We look forward to a redoubling of efforts towards an early resolution of this issue. PfP Valuable practical lessons have been learned from the experience of both SFOR and KFOR and it is important that we should be able to draw on those lessons in a structured way in future PfP operations. We therefore welcome the work that has been done in developing the Political Military Framework which will govern the participation of Partner contributing countries. We hope that the continuing work in this area will lead to the fullest extent of consultation between NATO and contributing Partner countries. ESDP In connection with the broader issues of the enhancement of Euro-Atlantic security through regional cooperation, the efforts by the European Union to establish a capability to undertake crisis management tasks will increase the range of crisis response instruments available to the international community. The EU Summit at Nice last weekend marked substantial progress in this process. We look forward to an effective relationship between NATO and the EU in the implementation of ESDP, based on agreed principles including full respect for the decision-making autonomy of both organisations. The focus of the EU is on peacekeeping and crisis management, that is the Petersberg tasks. With that in view, Ireland will avail of the PARP - that is, the PfP Planning and Review Process - as a mechanism for planning in relation to the EU's Headline Goal. The EAPC has proved its worth as a forum for consultation and as a force for stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. In that connection, we particular welcome the paper before us today on the role of the EAPC and the Partnership for Peace in conflict prevention. It identifies the important potential contribution which both structures can make in that area - both through their own action and also in the way they complement the efforts of other international organisations active in conflict prevention.