NATO HQ 7 Sept. 2006

Press point with NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the Slovak Prime-Minister Mr. Róbert Fico Multimedia Audio file (.MP3/6067kb) High resolution photos JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER (NATO Secretary General):  Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's a great pleasure to receive for this morning here for the first time in his capacity as prime minister, Prime Minister of Slovakia.  We've had a very interesting conversation.  I say this because the prime minister wasn't here for the first time.  He was here already in 2001 then in opposition.  We've had, I think, a fairly complete review of the different items on the NATO agenda.  But let me start by saying that I'm very happy and glad that the prime minister reconfirmed because that was already clear, but reconfirmed Slovakia's commitment to what I call the EuroAtlantic community.  And speaking for NATO, reconfirmation that Slovakia's position vis-à-vis the NATO which is a strong one will remain unchanged.  That's of course important to hear.  Slovakia is a strong ally, is participating in Afghanistan, is participating in Kosovo, is participating in the NATO training mission in Iraq and that's very important, I think. Secondly, we went through the important meetings coming up for NATO.  You know the prime minister is accompanied by his foreign and defence ministers, so it was really the full Slovakian compliment I was able to receive here this morning.  You know that there is a foreign ministers of NATO coming up very soon, a week after next, in New York for the preparation of the Riga Summit.  And there will be another important meeting at Butoraj in Slovenia at the end of September when NATO defence ministers will meet. I will not go to all the subjects with you on those agendas because we can do that at a different stage.  What is important to conclude now is that I'm standing next to a prime minister who is leading a nation which is committed to NATO, which will be and stay in NATO's different missions and operations.  And that is, I think, the most important conclusion from our conversation.  Prime Minister, it's a pleasure. RÓBERT FICO (Prime Minister of Slovakia):  Thank you very much, Ladies and Gentlemen.  First of all, I informed the Secretary General of NATO that in Slovakia there is a broad consensus as far as foreign policies is concerned.  It means it's absolutely advantageous for a new government because we can continue the foreign policy of the previous government without any problems.  We discussed together issues of presence of Slovak soldiers in Iraq.  As you all know, new Slovak government has adopted a decision to withdraw soldiers from Iraq probably at the end of 2006.  At the same time, we would like to stay in Iraq.  Mainly, we would like to have instructors in Iraq and also we would like to very active in NATO program that is now in Iraq.  We also discussed the issue of Afghanistan where Slovakia also has soldiers.  As I was informed by Secretary General, the work and position of Slovak soldiers in Afghanistan is evaluated very highly.  So it means that we would like to continue this presence.  And we would like to find other possibilities how to contribute to NATO operations in Afghanistan.  I'd like to thank you very much to Secretary General for possibility to meet and of course for priorities of NATO that will be discussed out during next session of NATO when I hope that the new government of Slovakia will be ready to answer all necessary questions and to contribute to effective discussion. Finally, I want to say that Slovakia is a member State of NATO and we want to be an active member State of NATO.  That's why we very much support idea of a partnership between NATO and European Union.  I know how it is difficult, how it is complicated.  Any way in this agenda we would like to be as effective as possible.  Thank you very much.  MODERATOR:  First questions here. Q:  (INAUDIBLE) TV.  A question in Slovak for Prime Minister.  (SPEAKS IN SLOVAK).  RÓBERT FICO:  (SPEAKS IN SLOVAK) MODERATOR:  Mark. Q:  Mark Jones from Reuters.  A question for the Prime Minister, what can Slovakia do to ensure that tensions between ethnic minorities do not, in the end, upset your relations within NATO and in the European Union?  The question for the Secretary General, Afghanistan, after you shipped there, the SACEUR has said that the international community efforts on counternarcotics are failing under... and they're ineffective as things stand.  And that also the ISAF needs to be reinforcing to meet the level of advance in the South which to an extent is greater than expected.  Would you support those comments? RÓBERT FICO:   The government of which I am a prime minister is a typical social democratic government.  It means that we respect all the rules that are typical for social democratic governments in Europe.  I am and will be responsible for acts for this government.  So in practice, it means that we will be absolutely strict and we will not only investigate but also punish all cases of extremism or all cases of violation of law.  At this moment, I appreciate a very good dialogue between Slovak government, mainly between the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs.  And I believe this is the only way  how to deal with this issue.  That's all what I can say at this moment. JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER:  Let me answer the two questions.  First of all on narcotics which we discuss extensively with President Karzai 24 hours ago in Kabul.  This is a huge problem.  It needs a solution.  And the solutions to counter this problem are rather complicated.  I'm putting it mildly.  It is of course the primary responsibility of the Afghan government.  You know, NATO is not playing a leader role.  NATO, ISAF is not playing a leading role.  We can assist.  And we are not going to play a leading role. Having said that, I think...  and I think President Karzai agrees with me, international political attention for this problem should be stepped up.  Again, it's a primary responsibility of the Afghan government.  The solution for the problem is complex.  It concerns you go about development corporation.  It is not as simple as say "Let's burn the poppy fields".  It's not as simple as to say that "It's only about alternative livelihoods."  The Afghan government should be and is realizing that this is very serious indeed.  So should the international community.  But again, NATO is not playing the leading role.  But my position is that I would like to see higher level political attention by the international community to see how we can find a solution for this problem.  The second part of your question, I said in Kabul many times that if...  military advice would come up to me, to the North Atlantic Council that the force posture of NATO should change, should be strengthened, the NAC, the North Atlantic Council would immediately discuss that.  Now, this morning, General Jones has clearly remarked that he thinks that NATO could do with more forces.  We know that we've decided for the third stage in Afghanistan. But there are still some wishes within the framework of this third stage, in technical terms, CJSOR, the Combined Joint Statement of Requirements which are unfulfilled.  That's why I said that I think that there are NATO allies that can do more and who should do more in Afghanistan.  That is the background of General Jones' remarks.  But I take them very seriously.  This is the way NATO operates.  Secretary General does not go public and say:  "We need more forces."  If the military advice comes up "We need more forces", I can say that I agree with General Jones that is also my position and my responsibility as to see that this discussion will be to come up to the North Atlantic Council.  You might know there is an important meeting this weekend in Poland where the chiefs of defence in the framework of the Military Committee will meet.  So I'm quite sure that meeting will also result in further advice to the North Atlantic Council. Q:  (INAUDIBLE) broadcasting company.  General Jones seems to suggest that especially the countries who are already present in Afghanistan should boost their troop levels, do you agree with that? JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER:  Well, I'm not to mention specific allies.  What I have seen over the past days and I've travelled extensively through the southern part of Afghanistan is that there are a number of allies who are doing quite a lot in that region.  And since you're coming from the Netherlands.  The Netherlands is certainly one of the allies who are heavily committed in Afghanistan.  Let me repeat what I said 24 hours ago in the Presidential Palace in Kabul.  An alliance such as NATO having 26 members...  it was also one of the subjects we discussed this morning, in that alliance, it is my job to ask for maximum solidarity.  And then allies who perhaps are doing less in Afghanistan should think:  "Shouldn't we do more?"  Because there are still as I said in my answer to Mark Johns' question there are still things we need.  I mean there are no showstoppers in this.  We can do what we are doing at the moment.  That's not the question.  But if military advice comes up, all allies, all twenty-six should see if they can do more.  But there are a number of them who are already doing quite a lot.  So my appeal goes to every single NATO, individual NATO ally:  "Think seriously of what you're doing and if you can do more."  And there are certainly a number of allies who can do more. Q:  Germany seems to be very reluctant to send troops down to the south.  What do you think about this attitude?  And do you think it might be necessary to do this sooner or later? JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER:  These questions...  that's not to be defensive.  These questions we must leave to the military commanders.  You cannot  manage a military operation in Afghanistan from my seat here, behind my desk or from any desk I would say in NATO allies, from any parliament.  We should trust our military commanders.  We have an extremely capable and competent British General who is commanding ISAF.  We have the chain of command leading up to General Jones.  He made his remarks this morning.  So let me not comment on a request which to best of my knowledge has not be made by the commander of ISAF.  Let me underline the word solidarity which I think is of great importance here.  But let me not comment on requests which have not yet been made because that would be mere speculative and let me stop here.  MODERATOR:  Afraid it's all we have time for.  JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER:  Prime Minister, once again... RÓBERT FICO:  Thank you very much. JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER:  Thank you very much for coming. (...)