Opening
Statement
by
Secretary General Lord Robertson
at the Informal Meeting of the North Atlantic Council
at the Level of Defence Ministers
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to this informal
meeting of Alliance Defence Ministers. I would like to begin by
thanking, on behalf of all of us, our Polish host, Minister Jerzy
SZMAJDZINSKI for the very generous hospitality shown to us here
in Warsaw. Thank you, Jerzy.
I also want especially to welcome Ministers
Peter STRUCK of Germany and Benk KORTHALS of the Netherlands,
who are with us for the first time. This is also the case for
General Kujat, in his new capacity as Chairman of the Military
Committee. Gentlemen, a warm welcome to all of you.
This is the last meeting of Alliance Ministers
before the Prague Summit. It is therefore a critical opportunity
to review the status of work on key aspects of NATO's transformation,
on which your Heads of State and Government will take decisions
in less than two months time. I cannot overemphasise the importance
of our meeting to ensure the Prague agenda is on track.
Two weeks ago at NATO Headquarters we commemorated
the anniversary of September, 11th, 2001, when so many lost
their lives in the horrifying terrorist attacks against the
United States. It was an occasion to express once again our
sorrow and to re-affirm our complete solidarity in the fight
against terrorism.
But if there is a time, in the face of loss,
for grief and remembrance, there is also a time, in the face
of menace, for planning and for strategy.
As we approach the Prague Summit, we need therefore
to think very carefully about the role of this Alliance in the
future, not least in protecting our citizens from criminal terrorists
and criminal states, especially where they are armed with weapons
designed for massive and indiscriminate destruction.
Our common aim must be to maintain the will
and the capabilities to deter these 21st century threats where
possible; to root them out and destroy them where deterrence
has broken down; to defend our forces and our people from attacks
of all kinds; and, in the worst cases, to make the best use
of our military capabilities in dealing with the consequences
of future aggression against us.
NATO played the key role in defeating the threats
of the Cold War and the instability that followed it. We must
now transform our Alliance so it can play an equally pivotal
part in the war against terrorism and the dangers of weapons
of mass destruction.
Of particular interest to Defence Ministers
are decisions about NATO's future roles and capabilities. Prague
will involve firm commitments to acquire the defence capabilities
needed to deal effectively with today's threats, and to adapt
our command structure so that together we are able to use those
capabilities rapidly and efficiently.
We have much work ahead of us.
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