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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