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

Talking points for Mr Janos Martonyi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary On experiences gathered in the EAPC framework of the second half of 2000 and on the assessment of the Action Plans and the goals set It is reassuring to note that EAPC has already become a traditional forum of dialogue on security policy issues in their broader sense. The co-operation has already stood the test in Bosnia and Kosovo, and has promoted the democratic changes taking place in Yugoslavia. There are several facts proving that EAPC has reached an "adult age": The common will of allies and partners lead the development of an Enhanced and More Operational Partnership (EMOP) that has opened additional chapters on the basis of increased confidence: Its Political-Military Framework has enabled partners to take part more effectively in NATO-led joint operations and in political consultations. We are dealing with a two-way street learning process, since Allies are also getting a better understanding of partners' requirements and intentions. The interoperability assessment in the Planning and Review Process continues, The data base of the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) has already become an organic part of the Allied automatic "force generation" data base. With due respect to all these advantages, both NATO and partners call for the "reform" E.I. further enhancement of the EAPC The very logical essence of this call is the increase of effectiveness, reduction of the formal elements of co-operation and a focus on problems affecting the majority of partner countries. Hungary supports the proposals submitted by Secretary General Robertson, which, while respecting the independence and preferences of partners, enable an ever closer association to NATO's agenda. The lessons learned during the crises in Kosovo and Serbia have proved how fruitful a close linkage between the agendas of NATO and EAPC can be. We are also aware that the further stages of settling the conflict in Balkans are still ahead of us. There is a need to jointly focus on exploring the more fundamental causes of the crises emerging on our continent and on preventing any backlashes. We are just about to realise how important it is for all of us to make use of the experience gathered in order to prevent the eruption of further confrontations, I believe that this could be one of the most promising directions of the further development of the EAPC. The goal is not to copy the circle of activities pursued by other organisation but to jointly develop those capabilities that are required for crisis-management at an early stage. EAPC/SEEI assessment The democratic changes in Croatia and Yugoslavia have ENABLED SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN INITIATIVE (SEEI) to embrace all countries of the region in its framework of co-operation. We welcome and support SOUTH EAST EUROPE COMMON ASSESSMENT PAPER ON REGIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES (SEECAP) as the latest initiative by SEEI, the creation of which took place already with the presence of Yugoslavia. SEEI has by now been serving as a framework of supporting a number of fora (Stability Pact, SEEGROUP, SEECAP), the activities of which are somewhat overlapping and the mutual relationship of which has not yet become clear. A possible way of moving further ahead is to make SEEI's internal structure more transparent and better manageable. Hungary continues to support this framework of regional co-operation as a means to build confidence and to increase efficiency. One of the potentials of SEEI is in a more project-oriented approach that mobilises the will of the nations concerned to tackle very concrete security challenges and generates Alliance's support for shouldering up their efforts.