Statement
by
His Excellency Dr. Vilayat Guliyev,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
at the EAPC Ministerial Meeting
Dear Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Rapidly changing security environment after September 11 and
expected post-Prague radical transformation within Alliance
membership are the most challenging issues to be encountered
by EAPC and PFP, although the indicated challenges might affect
partners in a different way. Nowadays EAPC and PfP operate in
a specific security environment and need to remain relevant
to the security interests of NATO and its Partners as well.
September 11 attacks and their aftermath unveiled the common
vulnerability to terrorism, to the new risks and threats as
well as new opportunities for common response in a large coalition
endeavor, underlining the growing security interdependence between
NATO and Partner Nations- EAPC and PFP could play very distinctive
role in this regard, contributing new global dimension to NATO
capabilities and power-projection for common security and defense.
So far PFP program has proved to be very successful in developing
mechanisms for defence cooperation and military interoperability
within Euro-Atlantic area, promoting security cooperation culture
between NATO and Partner Nations. Most importantly PFP has developed
practical tools allowing NATO and Partner nations to engage
in joint crisis management and civil emergency operations.
On the other hand successful development of PFP mechanisms
hasn't been complemented with the similar progress in the political-military
sphere at EAPC. Many mechanisms inherent in the EAPC Basic document
designed for tailoring focused NATO-partner relationship in
different formats (such as NATO+1 and NATO+n) have not been
fully explored for addressing particular security needs of individual
partners.
Mr.Chairman,
Differing interests and security problems existing in various
EAPC areas challenge the basic fabric of EAPC and PFP program,
making difficult for NATO to maintain the equal levels and similar
spheres of cooperation for different partners. Currently some
partner-nations indicated strong intention to update and adapt
partnership to more close and focused interaction with NATO,
having been capable to make important contributions especially
in the sphere of multinational operations and peacekeeping.
They would also like to develop new complementarities with EU
in the area of Peace Support Operations.
On the other hand many Partner Nations, especially in Caucasus
and Central Asia, still need much of various security support
and common activities before becoming interoperable and active
potential contributors- Meanwhile they have already demonstrated
their readiness to contribute with their available assets and
facilities to pursue the common goals and tasks, including combating
terrorism and other emerging asymmetric threats and challenges.
NATO should be ready to substantially enhance its cooperation
with this group of partners, paying particular attention to
developing of its early warning, crisis assessment and management
capabilities.
In our understanding development of variable or flexible geometry
formats to address differing interests and concerns of partners
should mostly imply developing of functional, substance driven
interaction between NATO and partner nations rather than regional.
This transformation should not in any way undermine the purpose
of building of common security cooperation structure within
the whole Euro-Atlantic area-It is a demand of nowadays that
EAPC and PFP mechanisms should be more responsive to security
concerns and interests of those partners who have a political
will and readiness to develop security and defense cooperation
with NATO in specified areas. Azerbaijan as a Partner Nation
is willing to develop integrated and comprehensive framework
for bilateral 19+1 cooperation with NATO with set out objectives,
which could facilitate focused cooperation on security policy
and common defense.
To reach above-mentioned goals NATO should develop new, more
comprehensive awareness about security problems of Partner nations,
especially those situated in the sensitive areas, at the forefront
of combating international terrorist and criminal activities
and threats. We deem it very important to establish NATO Information
Offices in those partner nations to facilitate bilateral information
exchange.
Another important area within EAPC to be further explored for
adaptation to new realities provides for increased decision-making
opportunities for partners relating to activities in which they
participate. Political-Military Framework for NATO-led Peace
Support Operations and crisis management is just the first,
very important though, step in this direction.
Fully supporting the proposed new areas for application of
PMF model suggested by some partner Nations, we would like to
suggest to extend this decision shaping model also to those
situations when partner nation or group of partners play an
important functional role in fulfillment of specific NATO tasks,
which affect security and stability of the whole Euro-Atlantic
area.
The main idea behind our approach to the EAPC is that it should
be an effective flexible instrument to deal with security challenges
encountered by NATO and Partner Nations to be addressed in a
task oriented manner through the PFP tools and capabilities,
and to provide a diversified functional consultations framework
for timely assessment of specific concerns of partners and taking
appropriate measures to respond them.
We would also like to indicate our full support for IS proposals
to streamline the current setting of EAPC and PFP aimed at reducing
bureaucratic structures and procedures, including the merging
of IPP and PARP, PWP and EAPC action plan, organizing annually
one but more prepared and substance driven Ministerial.
Thank you.
EAPC's
role in the international light against terrorism
The key to successful eradication of terrorism is the solidarity
of international community against violations of international
law, respect for borders and sovereignty of States, settlement
of conflicts, disbandment of illegal armed groupings and destruction
of their weaponry, restoration of rule of law in the zones of
conflicts, return of all displaced population to their homes.
Lack of timely and adequate reaction to the constant violations
of international law and practices of double standards, aggression,
occupation and ethnic cleansing - all mentioned - create a fertile
ground for terrorist activity.
It is only after September 11 that the world started speaking
loudly on the threat of international terrorism. However, Azerbaijani
people faced and are currently facing all horrors of terrorism
starting late 1987. Between 1987 and 1995 Armenian terrorists
have prepared and perpetrated more than 30 terrorist acts against
civilian population of Azerbaijan, as a result of which more
than 2 000 persons were killed, thousands innocent people were
injured, great material damaged was caused.
Realizing its annexation plans, Armenia, which has territorial
claims for the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, resorts
to sponsoring separatism and to use of capabilities of its special
services in organization of terrorist acts. It is by the perpetration
of terrorist acts that the separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh region
of Azerbaijan and Armenia, sponsoring them, have started realization
of their plans of tearing the region away from Azerbaijan.
The cohesion and solidarity of States are absolutely necessary
for successful achievement of common goals in fighting terrorism
and eliminating its sources. We can clearly watch that in the
regions, where the States do fully and unconditionally respect
each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability
of borders and unequivocally refrain from use of force and terrorism
cooperation between States yields substantial results.
EAPC and PPP have a substantial potential for cooperation in
combating terrorism. Besides broad possibilities for security
consultations and risk assessments EAPC and PFP have a specific
advantage in building common mechanisms for establishment of
interaction between military and civilian bodies on internal
and external aspects of fighting terrorism. In addition to the
traditional focus on the armed forces, PFP and EAPC could provide
relevant support and mechanisms for strengthening cooperation
between military and non military agencies and forces, information
exchange and coordination among NATO and Partner national security
agencies on specific issues including border controls, asymmetrical
threats such as cyber warfare, development of specialized forces
and operations, military infrastructure protection, non proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction and illegal migration.
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