Speech
by
Gerhard Schröder,
Federal Chancellor of Germany
Mr Secretary General, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Strengthening the transatlantic relationship is fundamental
to peace and stability.
Our Euro-Atlantic community of states is the most essential
factor for democratic stability and economic prosperity
across the world today.
The current situation in the Balkans is again a matter
of serious concern. Stability of South East Europe remains
a crucial issue which requires close coordination and
joint action by all allies on either side of the Atlantic
Ocean.
I seize this opportunity to expressly thank President
Bush for the preparedness of the new US Administration
to continue to share responsibility with us Europeans
(and of course with Canada) in the Balkans.
Unfortunately, our hopes for a peaceful development in
South East Europe, after the change of government in Belgrade,
have not yet been fulfilled.
The violent action by Albanian rebels in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the polarization of
the ethnic groups are jeopardizing the future of the country.
There can be no military solution to the crisis in FYROM.
Europe and the Balkans need to see a swift end to violence
and substantial results in the internal political dialogue
that will preserve FYROM as a multi-ethnic and democratic
society.
All energies of the EU and NATO must now be concentrated
on that goal. EU High Representative Javier Solana needs
the Alliance's full and continuing support for his intensive
efforts to bring peace to FYROM.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The leitmotif of partnership and solidarity is also the
determining factor for the members of the European Union
in their efforts to develop a Common European Security
and Defence Policy.
We Europeans want to enhance the EU's capability for
action in the field of security policy, and by doing so,
we want to strengthen our Alliance. We do not want the
EU to be obliged to put in place structures parallel to
NATO.
This is why Germany attaches particular importance to
a close and early coordination between the EU and NATO.
The Federal Government emphatically supports an adequate
participation of the European NATO members that are not
part of the EU in the European Security and Defence Policy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
More than ten years after the fall of the Wall, we must
thoroughly review the instruments and structures developed
to ensure security in what used to be a bipolar world.
Potential new threats posed by weapons of mass destruction
and their means of delivery require, in the opinion of
Germany, a comprehensive response which must include considerations
on possible defensive measures in the same way as, most
importantly, the question of how to contain and prevent
such threats, with a view to creating the prerequisites
for disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.
In this context we are committed not least to strengthening
the arms control architecture, and in particular the Missile
Technology Control Regime, as well as to creating the
conditions for further steps towards nuclear disarmament,
on the basis of international agreements.
On the issue of a missile defence system Germany welcomes
the wide-ranging dialogue with the allies that the US
Administration under President Bush has initiated.
In this connection, however, we still see a host of issues
that need to be clarified and therefore we must and indeed
will be continuing intensive discussions on this subject
within the framework of the Alliance.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At our next summit in Prague we will be reviewing the
process of NATO enlargement.
The Alliance has declared its doors open to all European
democracies and offered them comprehensive partnership.
The Federal Government remains committed to that offer.
The continuation of the enlargement process in Prague
will form part of our joint efforts to create a stable
all-European peace order.
Four years after the signing of the NATO-Russia Founding
Act, the Federal Government is particularly keen that
we should further expand this cooperation with a view
to strengthening peace and stability in Europe.
We invite Russia's leaders to continue along the path
of democratic reform, and we remain ready to cooperate
with them in this endeavour.
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