NATO HQ 2 Apr. 2004

Remarks by Dr. Dimitrij Rupel Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia at the Ceremonial Session of the North Atlantic Council on the Occasion of the Accession of Seven New Members to the Alliance News 02/04/2004 - NATO Ceremony to mark the accession to NATO Jaap, dear colleagues, excellencies, friends! Let me first, admit that today is a historic and a happy day for Slovenia and for me personally. I remember the days when Slovenia, still a part of socialist Yugoslavia, started its democratic process. I remember my secret private meeting with a high representative of NATO here in Brussels back in 1991. We have come a long way! Second, I would like to thank the members of the Alliance and the NATO Secretariat for the help and advice given during the Membership Action Plan process, as well as during the whole accession period. Our membership/in this leading and successful security Alliance means the beginning of new and extended efforts to increase our abilities to participate in joint international efforts to project security and stability into the troubled regions. Slovenia has already proven its role of a security producer and a reliable partner by supporting unreservedly the operations and policy of the Alliance and by participating actively in all NATO operations. Membership of Slovenia in NATO was a national project, sweeping across the broad political spectrum. In March last year, the citizens of Slovenia demonstrated in the best possible way Slovenian commitment to Trans-Atlantic cooperation. At the referendum, the Slovenian voters convincingly - 66,8% in favour - supported our country's membership in NATO. It is my opinion that, thanks to the referendum and the activities that accompanied it, they are now well aware of the significance of modern security environment and of being a NATO member. The Trans-Atlantic link is one of the key elements of European security and stability. It has reached its highest level of institutional cooperation through NATO. The most efficient and, ultimately, the only possible way of confronting security threats of modern times is to confront them jointly. We believe that our greatest contribution should be in our neighbourhood. NATO was the only organization which managed to end violence in the Western Balkans and, by doing that, it has indirectly contributed to Slovenia's peace and stability. We would like to continue our close cooperation with the Alliance by contributing and sharing our experience and knowledge on the Western Balkans. We firmly support NATO's open door policy. Slovenia as a NATO member is willing and ready to assist all those countries that want to join the Alliance in their endeavors to fulfill the criteria. Enlargements have successfully extended the area of stability into those parts of Europe that throughout history generated considerable instability and insecurity. Recent events have unfortunately demonstrated that the Western Balkans region as a whole has not yet reached a level of self-sustainable stability, and therefore NATO's continuing role in the area is still crucial. The Alliance has to retain its physical presence in the region as long as situation requires so. Slovenia has clearly demonstrated its commitment to the peace and security of that area, by having our troops engaged in NATO-led SFOR and KFOR. At the same point I would like to stress that our commitment is not limited to the Western Balkans. Slovenia is also participating in the NATO-led operation ISAF in Afghanistan and has expressed its readiness to expand its presence in ISAF. One of the ways for NATO to optimize its efficiency is to cooperate even more closely with other regional organizations, e.g. the EU and the OSCE. Their complementary roles provide a key to successful international engagement in the troubled regions. As Chairman in Office of the OSCE in 2005 Slovenia will strive for closer cooperation between both organizations. NATO has to be agile and flexible in order to cope with the security unpredictability of the 21st century. The Summit in Istanbul provides us a good opportunity to act resolutely and responsibly in our efforts to address the security challenges which represent an imminent as well as long term threat to our own security and stability.