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Updated: 22-Feb-2002 NATO Speeches

Warsaw,
Poland
22 Feb. 2002

Address

by LTC Mihai BUTA,
at the EAPC Seminar on
"The Role of EAPC in Combating Terrorism"

Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to be here today, on behalf of Mr. Ovidiu Dranga, Chairman of the South Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial Coordination Committee (SEDM-CC) and the Political Military Steering Committee (PMSC) of the Multinational Peace Force South-Eastern Europe (MPFSEE). Allow me first to extend his sincere greetings and, at the same time, to convey his regrets that he can not attend this important seminar.

I consider that the timing of this activity is perfect especially in view of the September 11 tragic events that have shattered the whole world. Also, the framework provided by the EAPC is both prestigious and appropriate.
We can all recall that at their first meeting after 11 September, the EAPC Defence Ministers reacted promptly, following the attacks and issued a powerful statement of condemnation and solidarity the very next day. As we all know, the EAPC has been, and must continue to be an essential pillar of the international coalition against terrorism. The EAPC is also an excellent framework to increase cooperation and capabilities in the common struggle against this insidious threat.

Terrorism is a different threat than it was during the 1980s and it continues to change, deriving its increasing power from its transnational nature. Since the terrorist attacks in the US, security as a concept has undergone structural changes and South Eastern Europe did not remain outside this process.


My presentation aims to give you an overview on the South Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial process (SEDM) and its contribution to the global fight against terrorism.

I will begin with some remarks on the SEDM background.

The core of my presentation will refer to a new SEDM project on "Weapons of Mass Destruction Counter Proliferation, Border Security and Counter Terrorism" how it started and where we are now.

I will conclude with the way ahead for this project and some aspects of SEDM cooperation with other regional initiatives.

Let me briefly remind you some facts about the evolution of the SEDM process. Dramatic changes in the European security environment in the last decade have been challenging for the International Community in general and for South Eastern Europe in particular.

Countries in the South Eastern Europe had to face a wide range of difficulties that are always associated with transitional periods. For these reasons the South Eastern European nations were aware that they must be prepared to commit themselves to far-reaching political, security, economic and social reconstruction.

Against this background, the Defence Ministers of nine South Eastern European countries and US initiated the SEDM process which aims to contribute to regional security and stability and enhance regional cooperation. Recently Ukraine become observer at the ministerial meetings.

The SEDM process brings together, under the same umbrela, NATO countries as well as Partnership for Peace nations.

SEDM provides a valuable political and military framework, enhances regional cooperation, shapes mentality and promotes cooperation between countries that have common security goals.

SEDM gives a new dimension to defence diplomacy enforced by its military component that is the South East European Brigade (SEEBRIG), the first success story, as we like to call it, a truly multinational regional force in South Eastern Europe.

SEEBRIG, the only multinational peacekeeping formation established exclusively by South-Eastern European nations, declared its operational readiness on 1 May 2001. SEEBRIG is among the capabilities South Eastern European countries can make available when asked to share the burden of promoting security and stability in South Eastern Europe. Efforts are being made to achieve interoperability with NATO forces and improve the level of training by involving SEEBRIG personnel in NATO/PfP exercises.

As of the 1st of September 2001, Romania took over from Greece the Chairmanship of the South Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial Coordination Committee and the Political Military Steering Committee (PMSC) of the Multinational Peace Force South Eastern Europe (MPFSEE). The most relevant objectives of the Romanian Chairmanship are to maintain the open character of the SEDM process, to enhance SEDM relations with other South Eastern Europe initiatives - NATO South Eastern European Initiative (SEEI), SEEGROUP, Stability Pact, South Eastern European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and to adapt SEDM cooperation framework in order to address non-conventional and non-military challenges to regional security, such as terrorism.

Romania, as the country holding the Chairmanship, is determined to work together with NATO and Partner countries to make SEDM one of the main contributors to security and stability in South Eastern Europe, since self-sustainable security and stability is the ultimate goal of the international community's involvement in this region.

Among the projects developed within the framework of SEDM, the most recent one is "Defence/Military Support To WMD Counter proliferation, Border Security, and Counter Terrorism".

The SEDM countries were preoccupied by issues related to counter proliferation and border security long before September 11 events.
At the SEDM Defence Ministers Meeting in Skopje, September 1998, it was mentioned for the first time the need to address matters related to counter proliferation and border security to include possible involvement and support of the ministries of defence.

As a consequence of events of 11th September in the United States, the participants at the SEDM seminar in BLED, at the end of September last year, agreed to expand their area of discussions to include related issues such as counter proliferation, border security and counter terrorism.

SEDM countries have come together in political solidarity on this issue and SEDM Deputy Defence Ministers agreed at their meeting in Rome, on 4th October 2001, "…to recommend to Ministers that effective co-operation among SEDM countries should expand to include steps to combat emerging security challenges, especially international terrorism."

In December 2001, at the Ministerial Meeting in Antalya, the Ministers endorsed a SEDM Concept Paper presented by the Chairman of the PMSC and SEDM-CC on "Defence/Military Support to WMD Counter Proliferation, Border Security and Counter Terrorism". They endorsed it as a tangible contribution of SEDM to international efforts for fighting against the scourge of terrorism.

In order to address non-conventional and emerging security challenges and to establish a framework for comprehensive action within the SEDM process, the main objectives of the new project are:

  • To build on the relevant provisions of SEECAP which developed a common assessment on the emerging threats and challenges such as WMD proliferation, terrorism and other non-conventional security risks;
  • To promote the co-operation between MOD's in SEDM nations to address and respond to the above-mentioned emerging threats and challenges;
  • To increase awareness among Ministries of Defence and other agencies regarding WMD proliferation and other potential threats to border security by enhancing regional defence intelligence and information-sharing and co-operation among SEDM states;
  • To ensure synergy of efforts among different measures, projects and action plans developed by other international organisations and regional initiatives;
  • To update the common assessment of the SEDM countries in addressing WMD proliferation, border security and terrorism threats.

On the 8th February 2002, the meeting of the Initial Working Group on "Defence/Military support to WMD Counter Proliferation, Border Security and Counter Terrorism" was held in Bucharest.

It was decided on this occasion to be established a Working Group to propose concrete actions in the process of dealing with counter proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, border security and counter terrorism as a follow-up to South Eastern Europe Common Assessment Paper (SEECAP).

The aim of this Working Group is to identify initiatives to promote co-operation between SEDM MODs in addressing these new challenges, increase awareness among MODs and other agencies that are dealing with the same issues, at national and regional level.

The objective of the Working Group is to establish a work plan to include seminars, workshops, tabletop exercises and to facilitate its implementation.
Through its national representatives, the Working Group will coordinate when necessary and appropriate with experts in related areas, including but not limited to the MFA, Ministry of the Interior and Intelligence Services.

As concrete means of implementation, there were two proposals, one submitted by Romania, the other one by Turkey.

Romania proposed a project regarding "Common Training and Exercises" which aims to improve interoperability among participating parties at national as well as at regional level and develop common mechanisms for information sharing and co-operation among SEDM countries.

Common training would help nations to capitalise accumulated experience in addressing new security risks. At the same time, it could be an incentive to identify a common approach and common course of action in coping with new security challenges. Moreover, it could result in improving or alleviating identified shortfalls in military and non-military capabilities that are required in the fight against terrorism. Making use of NATO/PfP appropriate models could be envisaged, in full compliance with the main objectives of the concept document.

Among the main objectives there are capitalizing bilaterally and multilaterally gained experience in fighting terrorism, increasing public awareness regarding the fight against terrorism and exploring new cooperation opportunities with other international organisations (NATO, EU, OSCE etc).

The other proposal was submitted by Turkey, which invited SEDM nations to attend a course on Counter Terrorism, Drug Trafficking and Border Security, organised by the PfP Training Centre in Ankara.

The multitude of South Eastern Europe initiatives proves that this part of the world is determined to work according to the principle of regional ownership, to closely cooperate with Euro-Atlantic structures and to further develop regional security capabilities. A closer co-operation between SEDM and NATO's South Eastern Europe Initiative is needed.

Concluding Remarks:

There are many things to be done in order to fully implement these initiatives. But one must agree that these projects are providing the participating nations from South Eastern Europe with the necessary means to prove the international community that they are evolving from the status of security consumers to the one of security providers.

It is clear that we have to assume more responsibility for crisis management in our region. In this context, SEDM is one of the few regional initiatives that have successfully evolved in this field, by accepting new members, enlarging its geographic area.

Not only SEDM has provided the framework for consultations and cooperation among its participants but also it has succeeded in promoting a culture of transparency and confidence. SEDM is a model of cooperation for other areas as a truly multinational regional security structure in South Eastern Europe.

Even though terrorism was among previous preoccupations within SEDM process, it became a priority for SEDM after the terrorist attacks of 11 September, reaffirming SEDM determination to involve itself in all security problems.

As I briefly presented these facts, it is clear that SEDM has started to address these security challenges and will continue to work for the implementation of the new project, in order to find concrete mechanisms of implementation and solutions. Cooperation in these fields with other initiatives and Euro Atlantic structures is paramount.

Allow me to conclude by reaffirming that SEDM is a consistent process and a proof that Balkan countries have, slowly but steadily changed their status, from "security consumers" to "security providers".

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