Statement
by
Ferenc Juhász, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Hungary
at the Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
in Defence Ministers session
Future of the Euro-Atlantic partnership
New challenges and the changing security environment justify the review
and adaptation of the EAPC, and create a renewed, more effective co-operation.
The enlargement process, the emerging relationship between NATO and the
European Union and the qualitatively new NATO/Russia relationship significantly
affect the future of the EAPC. Activating the fight against terrorism
also justifies the adaptation.
The forthcoming enlargement shall obviously reduce the number of partners
in EAPC. However, new countries are knocking on our doors: Serbia-Montenegro
and Bosnia-Herzegovina have indicated their intention to join our ranks
that we would like to welcome after meeting the criteria. We reassure
our intention to hand over our experiences gained at the beginning of
PfP co-operation and during the preparation for NATO membership.
We consider the primary objective of the adaptation process that the
EAPC preserve its attraction and cohesive force for both Member States
and Partners after Prague. The various needs of the individual Partners
in different regions and their individual relationship to the Alliance
should be taken into consideration. In line with strengthening the regional
approach NATO should endeavour to assure transparency. Fundamental principles
of the PfP, like self-differentiation, inclusiveness and transparency,
should prevail in the future co-operation as well.
In our view EAPC provides a flexible framework and has the potential
to extend the topics of consultation and co-operation to new areas, such
as fight against terrorism and organised crime as a financial base of
terrorism, border control etc. Such issues could be formulated according
to the specific interests of groups of states or regions or the respective
substances itself. The better implementation of the provisions of the
basic document and employing all its instruments for consultation and
co-operation could raise the political and military co-operation to a
new level and could make it more substantial.
It is important to accomplish and further develop the already existing
and/or developing and useful elements of Enhanced and More Operational
Partnership, such as PARP, TEEP and OCC, instead of creating new initiatives.
We agree with the basic rules of the PfP Funding Policy, which is in
keeping with the requirements of the PfP Framework Document, that partners
fund their own participation in Partnership activities. At the same time
we strongly support the development that would create conditions of broadening
the tools and areas of the successful "PfP Trust Fund Policy".
Expanded policy could cover many areas, which are connected to defence
reforms, contributing to transparently and effectively manage the serious
consequences of the transformation processes.
EAPC/PfP reforms should result in an attractive and useful co-operation,
which is in the interest of Partner countries and assures them of the
continuity of the enlargement process. The renewed EAPC should give opportunity
to further develop the interoperability between NATO and the partner forces,
to respond to new challenges contributing to the stability and security
of the Trans-Atlantic region.
EAPC's role in the international fight against terrorism
International terrorism is not a new phenomenon but it represents a new
strategic challenge for the international community. Its aim is to weaken
the security of countries that share the values of democracy and to hinder
the spread of this type of values.
EAPC countries' contribution to the international operations against
terrorist groups and organisations has been and is still of crucial importance.
It shows the strength of the organisation that almost every partner state
provided direct or indirect support for the Alliance or for the countries,
which participated in the operations.
We are urging the legal co-operation between partner states in the field
of terrorism and supporting co-ordination in the field of border control
and the fight against organised crime.
EAPC may provide a suitable forum for the combined use of military, civil
emergency and crisis management capabilities. The changing strategic environment
also makes the countries of EAPC necessary to increase their response
capabilities by creating light, easily deployable and mobile troops. It
is important that by identifying the roots of terrorism let us give a
complex response to the social, economic and security challenges related
to terrorism.
We are supporting the establishment of an EAPC Clearing House that may
contribute to the enhancement of the efficiency of information sharing
in the field of terrorism.
Situation in the Balkans
Solidarity of our partners was of primary importance for NATO in such
crucial moments as the Kosovo air campaign or the terrorist attacks committed
against New York and Washington. We highly appreciate the valuable contribution
of the PfP countries to NATO's missions in the Balkans.
The favourable tendencies justify a review of NATO's presence and role
in the Balkans. Linking the three operations to each other is possible
and useful from both a military and a political point of view. A gradual
reduction of allied troops has also become possible. However, credible
deterrence must be preserved in the region.
Hungary is determined to continue to give her support to the stabilisation
and democratisation of the Balkan region. We would welcome a general settlement
of minority rights in the Balkans as an important contribution to the
solution of ethnic problems in the region.
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