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

Statement by H.E. Mr. Pleuger, State Secretary of Germany The presence of Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch at today's meeting rightly brings attention to a country in which NATO, together with many of the Partner countries represented here, assumed great responsibility five years ago. Bosnia and Herzegovina is now at a crossroads. In the next few years it must successfully develop viable state structures and lay the foundations for sustainable growth. Given the realistic prospect of considerably greater stability in the region, as has emerged since the elections in Yugoslavia, it would be a catastrophe were this country to head for political and economic bankruptcy. For this reason, we, the international community, must not turn away. We need a coherent international commitment, building on the conclusions of the Brussels PIC Ministers Meeting. We need a pragmatic dialogue with all political forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina who are finally prepared to meet the standards set by Dayton for the reconstruction of their country. And we need the Bosnian leadership to take responsibility. The election results in Bosnia have not significantly weakened the nationalists. But the moderate camp is gradually increasing in size. This process must be made irreversible. The High Representative, as the highest authority in implementing the Dayton peace accord, has our full support to lead Bosnia and Herzegovina along this path towards European and transatlantic structures. In other parts of the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere the EAPC and PfP have already been able to make a substantial contribution to increased security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. Croatia was thus included in the Partnership in May this year. The Alliance's South-East Europe Initiative plays an important role in the Stability Pact's success. With the participation of many NATO and Partner states, this Initiative supports the countries of the region in developing their own initiatives for cooperation and dialogue in the area of security policy. Shoulder to shoulder with their Allied colleagues, soldiers from Partner countries are every day helping to safeguard peace and reconstruction in the Balkans. We are deeply grateful to Partners for this willingness to share the responsibilities and risks, as well as for this proof of their political solidarity. During the critical phase of the peaceful revolution in Belgrade the EAPC held an unprecedented intensive series of consultations and reaffirmed once more its solidarity and the broad-based consensus between the Alliance and Partners. This sent out not least a signal of support for the democratically legitimated opposition in Yugoslavia, which has now become the government. Outside South-Eastern Europe too there have been significant impulses promoting regional cooperation within the EAPC framework. Special mention must be made of the Caucasus Regional Working Group, which is based on the successful model of the South-Eastern Europe Regional Working Group, and the most recent regional seminar in Bishkek. I want to encourage Partners to make full use of the EAPC's options for practical regional cooperation. In this respect, the exchange of experience about peacekeeping missions, as well as the work on themes such as small arms or humanitarian law, has proven valuable. For a number of Partner states cooperation within the EAPC and the Partnership for Peace is also part and parcel of their preparations for joining the Alliance. With the Membership Action Plan adopted in Washington, candidate countries have an effective instrument at their disposal which provides both guidance and feedback. Germany will continue to support this process, as it has during the last two years. The success of the EAPC and PfP lies in our hands; they stand and fall with our contribution and commitment. The past year was filled more than ever before with lively discussion and a wealth of ideas and initiatives. We are well on the way towards raising the profile of the EAPC as a forum for consultation, a reservoir of information and a marketplace for issues of security policy and confidence-building in the Euro-Atlantic area. I call upon you to continue making an active contribution towards this end. I assure you that Germany will play its part.