Statement
by
Lt. Gen. David Tevzadze Minister of Defence of Georgia
at the Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
in Defence Ministers session
EAPCs Role in the International Fight Against Terrorism
Mr. Chairman, Distinguished colleagues,
NATO/EAPC has played a key role in shaping the framework of the modem
international security. Bringing together 46 Partner nations under the
EAPC umbrella created conditions for unprecedented cooperation and establishment
ofEuro-Atlantic community with commonly shared values.
NATO/EAPC reaction to the outrageous acts of terrorism of September
11 has showed the unity ofEuro-Atlantic community and its readiness to
commonly oppose this plague of the 21s1 century. During our last meeting
in December 2001 we have specified a range of activities to counter the
menace of terrorism. Since then concrete steps have been undertaken in
this direction, but still a lot remains to be done.
EAPC and Partnership for Peace as essential pillars of modem security
architecture will continue to play an important role in cementing genuine
partnership in order to meet the security concerns of all Allied and Partner
Nations.
We consider PfP exercises as one of the primary tools for enhancing
the interoperability with NATO and increasing operational capabilities
of Partner nations. Georgia actively participates in such PfP activities,
m June 2001 we hosted Cooperative Partner-01, the first PfP full-scale
exercise in the Caucasus. Now, we are working hard to successfully conduct
Cooperative Best Effort-02 in Georgia late this month.
Due to the changed security environment we should consider expanding
the scope of PfP activities to areas, such as border control, in order
to address pressing security concerns. Exercise scenarios must reflect
current threats and challenges, like terrorism and address needs for enhanced
civil emergency and disaster preparedness. Georgia is ready to host such
an exercise in the future. In a process of enhancing consultation mechanisms
and coordination of activities in a fight against terrorism new look on
other national agencies and capabilities involved is required.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work out several projects with
Luxembourg within PfP Trust Fund framework. Adopting PfP Trust Fund policy
to Partners' security needs, like supporting defence reforms, enhancing
capabilities to tackle terrorist threats would greatly contribute to regional
stability.
Frozen conflict zones along Euro-Atlantie space is not only a source
for regional instability, but also serve as the safe haven for terrorists
and organized crime, natural transit route for illegal drugs and arms
trafficking, WMD proliferation.
Georgia, itself, has bitterly experienced aggressive separatism, extremism
and terrorism. We would like to express our gratitude to the USA for launching
Train and Equip Program aimed to increase Georgian Armed Forces operational
capabilities in fighting terrorism. We would also welcome die involvement
of other Allied and Partner nations in this program. Expanding consultation
mechanisms and adjusting PfP tools to develop Partners' capabilities in
addressing regional security challenges would greatly enhance Partnership
value for us.
The ability to fully control and defend national airspace is of great
concern for Georgia today. We are confident that Air Situation Data Exchange
with NATO would be mutually beneficial for all parties involved, especially
its value will increase dramatically if exercised at regional level.
Georgia welcomes the idea of establishing PfP cell in the Caucasus,
in Georgian capital - Tbilisi, with clear Terms of Reference (TOR), which
would greatly enhance, speed up and coordinate efforts in addressing particular
Partner's needs as well as promote greater regional cooperation among
nations in South Caucasus.
Georgia welcomes the new wave of NATO enlargement in the up-coming Prague
Summit. We highly appreciate the establishment of the Council of Twenty
(NATO-Russia Council) and hope that alongside with other issues it will
result in an intensified dialogue on a number of problems, including regional
issues.
We are sure that new realities within the Euro-Atlantic area will increase
the scope of cooperation between partners on bilateral and regional level
addressing different needs and particular circumstances of all partners,
including those in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Entering a new phase
of our development we should strengthen our solidarity and unity in order
to meet the requirements of the twenty-first century.
Thank you.
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