Intervention
by
H.E. Mr. Indulis, Minister of Foreign
Affairs
of the Republic of Latvia
Dear Colleagues,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, let me thank our Hungarian
friends for hosting this meeting in
Budapest This is, of course, the first
NATO and EAPC Foreign Ministers meeting
to take place in the capital of a
new member of the Alliance and, therefore,
is symbolic of the dramatic changes
In the political landscape of modern
Europe where NATO continues to play
a crucial part.
The presence at our meeting of Foreign
Minister from the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia which would have been
inconceivable one year ago, exemplifies
the positive developments that have
recently emerged in the Balkans. We
welcome the fact that under a democratic
leadership, Yugoslavia has become
a more constructive partner for the
international community. Without lasting
peace and stability in the Balkans,
Europe cannot be united, democratic
and free. This is why there is a continuing
need for all our countries to keep
a focus on the Balkans.
But the process of reshaping the
future security architecture in the
Transatlantic Area is not carried
out exclusively in the Balkans. International
security is also being affected by
emerging new threats posed by the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
and their means of delivery. The existing
arms control regimes have not been
effective enough in stopping this
proliferation. Therefore, there is
a clear need to establish a set of
effective countermeasures.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The continuing process of NATO enlargement
is not only priority direction of
Latvia's foreign policy. It is, undoubtedly,
also one of the major items on the
trans-Atlantic policy agenda, and
time for decisions on this issue is
drawing nearer. Clearly, Baltic membership
in NATO is indispensable, if not central,
part of the enlargement issue.
The visionary and authoritative speech
of President Havel in Bratislava has
set the standard for this debate and
underlined the essential rationale
for NATO enlargement - to erase the
former dividing lines in Europe. Enlargement
presents opportunities and benefits
for everyone by reducing uncertainty
and enhancing stability. In President
Havel's words, it represents "shared
will to fight everything that jeopardizes
a better future for humankind".
For our part, Latvia will be ready
to receive an invitation next year
in Prague and to continue to contribute
to security and stability in the Euroatlantic
region. Our commitment to be part
of NATO-led peace forces in Balkans
remains in place. Our defence planning
has received positive evaluation through
the MAP process. Latvia's efforts
to improve our defence capabilities
recently received a further boost
through the vote by an overwhelming
majority of Latvian Parliamentarians
to pass a law increasing defence spending
to 2% of GDP by 2003.
Our membership aspirations are part
of the wider process of building Europe
whole and free. Cooperation and coordination
within the Vilnius group of candidate
countries makes us stronger applicants.
The meeting of Chiefs of Defence from
aspirant countries in Riga next month
shows that practical cooperation in
this process is as important as the
political impetus that V9 brings to
the enlargement debate.
I know that the question of invitations
will be considered in the capitals
of the Alliance before we meet again
later this year. The upcoming Prague
summit presents an opportunity to
further stabilize our continent and
to correct injustices of history.
Making fill! use of this opportunity
will ensure that the Alliance remains
in the driving seat of European security.
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