Declaration
of
Austria
at the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
at Defense Minister Level
International Terrorism represents one of today's most important and
significant security challenges. In this context, all international security
institutions are forced to review their strategic concepts and respective
capabilities.
The unique structure of the EAPC and the successful co-operative approach
of all EAPC member states will help to reach a common approach in the
fight against international terrorism.
Austria supports all efforts and initiatives fostering complementarity
between the various European and Euro-Atlantic projects and programs in
this field. Ongoing cooperation between the Stability Pact for South-Eastern
Europe and NATO on the issue of border control (a subject of great importance
in the fight against terrorism) is a good example for a complementary
approach that avoids unnecessary duplication.
Let me also draw your attention to a high level conference on "International
Security and the Fight against Terrorism" which will take place in
Vienna from 13 to 15 June 2002. This conference is an Austrian initiative
in the framework of EAPC.
To our knowledge this will be the first time that representatives of
EAPC member states and of states participating in NATO's Mediterranean
Dialogue will meet in this way for a political, military and scientific
discourse.
It is our view that the EAPC Community should undertake a fundamental
analysis of the threats of terrorism and the required measures for counter-terrorism
also in cooperation with other international organizations. This analysis
should help define potential new requirements for our armed forces in
the fight against terrorism. The current PfP-mechanisms should then be
examined so as to determine to which extent they can be used to achieve
any such new requirements. From an Austrian point of view the existing
PfP-mechanisms offer excellent and flexible instruments for reaching the
necessary degree of interoperability also in this field.
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