NATO HQ

26 Jan. 2007

Press conference

by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
following the meeting of the North Atlantic Council
in Foreign Ministers session on Afghanistan

Very good afternoon to all of you.  As you know, two main topics on our agenda today:  Afghanistan and Kosovo.  Afghanistan, as you know, it started with a meeting with 26 among the allies followed by a special meeting on Afghanistan with many other participants. 

If I summarize the two meetings, I think the message has been clear that the international community intends to keep the initiative in Afghanistan.  What does that mean?  That means more reconstruction.  And we have heard and I'm not going on specifics.  We have heard more nations stepping up to the plate as far as their activities are concerned in the field of reconstruction and development.  Clear commitments with more support for the government, for the Afghan national army, the security forces and the Afghan national police.

And, as you know, Seville in Spain will follow this meeting.  This was not a force generation conference.  So force generation will without any doubt be discussed in Seville again.  And definitely and that was the common denominator between the two meetings, more effective coordination.  What we call the comprehensive approach. 

There was a call around the table that we do need a more concerted approach.  And it goes without saying that this takes place under Afghan ownership.  And it also goes without saying that the United Nations plays the leading role in this respect.  If I mentioned a concerted approach, a comprehensive approach that goes, of course, for "concertation" between the military and the civilian part of our operation in Afghanistan.  But also a more concerted approach on the reconstruction and development site. 

And you may know that in this regard, Germany has taken an important initiative because the so-called joint coordination and monitoring board, JCMB, will meet in Berlin next week at the level of political directors.  In order words, people from capitals discussing there what we call the comprehensive approach.

What was also, of course, discussed was the need for intensifying our cooperation with Pakistan to see that we can find a solution for the problems surrounding the border.  What was also mentioned was the question of the refugees, the refugee camps on the Pakistani side of the border.  But the basic message was... and the fact that we saw so many different actors sitting around the table is already a key message to NATO allies, the non-NATO contributors to the International Security Assistance Force.  The nations... the international organization, the UN of course, the European Union, Javier Solana, High Representative and European Commission, Vice-President Patel of the World Bank shows not only the need for the concerted approach.  But that's the international community is going to do something about it.

In other words, the international community as we're showing this morning is stepping its game in Afghanistan on all fronts to reinforce success.  And what was also mentioned and what I did mentioned in concluding the meeting was that an awful lot has been achieved in Afghanistan if you see where that nation was in 2001 and as we speak in the beginning of 2007.  But we also have to underline that it is a long-term commitment by the international community.  And for that long-term commitment to be implemented we need this comprehensive approach.  The initiative for these meetings was taken by Secretary Rice.  And I can tell you that what she had to say in the meeting, and I'm not her spokesman, she'll tell you herself in a moment, triggered a number of other nations to do more in and for Afghanistan as I have mentioned.  And I say again, for details, you have to ask the nations concerned.

On Kosovo, a few points.  Kosovo, of course, was discussed in the meeting with the 26 allies.  And I'm quite sure it will be discussed in a moment at the so-called transatlantic luncheon hosted by Belgium Foreign Minister De Gucht.  On Kosovo, that will come as no surprise for you, a reiteration, reconfirmation of the full commitment by the allies that NATO-KFOR will play its part through and beyond the status process.  Second important point, for unity, behind President Ahtisaari and the process he's laying out today, he has led out today to the contact group, a shared commitment I think of the need for a resolution as quickly as is possible.  And finally and I'm going to repeat that myself in a moment at the transatlantic lunch, a strong call for NATO, European Union cooperation and coordination at the tactical level and at the... at the operational level I should say and at the political level on the issue. Ahtisaari mentioned when there is a need for intensive NATO-EU contact and they are already taking place by the way, it is Kosovo. 

Conclusion:  Useful meetings, clear unity of views and approach on both the secretarial issues and the demonstration, I think, of NATO's value for transatlantic coordination.  To avoid any misunderstanding, these meetings were not called because NATO has the ambition to have coordinating role of other international organizations but coordination with them is very important for NATO's ISAF mission in Afghanistan.  Let me stop here and take a few questions.

Questions and answers

Q:  Reuters.  Secretary General, can I ask whether any nation has yet come forward to offer in-theatre reserve battalion that NATO has been seeking for Afghanistan.

De Hoop Scheffer: As I said this was not a force generation conference nor a pledging conference.  Defence ministers will meet in Seville.  But what we have heard in the public messaging over the past days I can tell you that I'm relatively optimistic that more nations will step up to the plate.  But again this was not discussed around the table this morning. 

Q:  Oui, Monsieur le Secrétaire Général, deux petites questions.  Que pensez-vous de la proposition de certains du Parti démocrate américain notamment Hilary Clinton de retirer des troupes d'Irak pour les envoyer en Afghanistan, votre opinion personnelle?  Et la seconde question, quels initiatives exactement l'OTAN va prendre à l'égard du Pakistan qui est régulièrement accusé par l'Afghanistan de soutenir les Talibans?  Merci.

De Hoop Scheffer:  Première partie de votre question.  Ce n'est pas à moi de faire des commentaires sur des choses que je considère la politique interne aux États-Unis.  Mais je peux ajouter ce que vous avez lu et j'ai lu aussi qu'il y a une bonne chance que les États-Unis prendront plus de responsabilité dans le sens militaire en Afghanistan aussi.  Deuxième question,  il est important, ce que j'ai dit que pas seulement il y ait des bonnes relations entre l'Afghanistan et le Pakistan, mais aussi parce que l'OTAN a une responsabilité importante concernant la FIAS en Afghanistan que les relations entre la FIAS... entre l'OTAN et le Pakistan sont considéré par les alliés et par moi comme des relations très importantes.  Dans quelques jours, le premier ministre pakistanais sera ici à Bruxelles, sera ici à l'OTAN où il est très important de trouver une solution pour le problème de la frontière.  Et je crois que ça demande un investissement de tous les partis, de tous les côtés.

Q:  (INAUDIBLE) I'm from (INAUDIBLE).  Secretary General, on Kosovo, do you have particular concern that the cooperation between NATO and EU might not work in the theater after the status meeting meaning that NATO will remain to have a security role and European Union will take also part of security role through the police mission there.  And second question on Ahtisaari's proposal.  Is this proposal going finally to separate Kosovo from Serbia formally?  Because this is a key answer with the people of Kosovo wants to know.

De Hoop Scheffer:  I understand your question, the last part of it.  But you'll also understand that I'm not going to answer that.  Ahtisaari has briefed the contact group.  And that process is not a NATO process.  NATO's responsibility in Kosovo is and will be for... also after a state of settlement, its responsibility is in the framework of KFOR:  16,500 approximately strong.  On the first part of your question, I know that the European Union is very seriously preparing its role in Kosovo after a possible state of settlement.  And I don't have worry that there is no coordination.   What I've said and what I repeat is that it is important that after a state of settlement everybody knows exactly what they're going to do.  The European Union will play a very important role.  And NATO-KFOR will play an important role.  So we do need which we already have as we speak, we do need the contacts NATO-European Union on staff level.  I think it's also important Javier Solana attended the meeting this morning, including the discussion on Kosovo that he and I - and that the European Union and NATO - have the best of possible contacts at the staff level, at the technical level but also at the political level.  And one of the examples is  the transatlantic luncheon which is going to take in a moment.  But I'm absolutely certain that Kosovo and the "concertation" between NATO and the EU will be discussed there.

Q:  Mister Secretary-General, (INAUDIBLE) German television.  Do you have made any progress concerning your wish for the six Tornados Germany should send to the South of Afghanistan?

De Hoop Scheffer:  Well,  the word "progress" would be relevant if that would have been a meeting on what I said on the force generation.  Having said that, you know, I voiced that opinion before, that there is certainly a need in Afghanistan for reconnaissance aircraft and that I would very positively and NATO would very positively greet a German decision to provide what I think is the "reco-Tornados"  But the decision to do that or not to do that is of course entirely in the hands of the German government.  I can judge.  If you ask me would it be considered a very positive step.  Yes, of course it would be.

Q:  You made the official question to get them?

De Hoop Scheffer:  . You know probably better than I do about the discussion in Germany.  I'll be in Berlin coming Monday for an ESDP conference to give the NATO angle on the ESDP, interesting in itself.  And I'll have a bilateral conversation with Minister Steinmeier.  So I presume the subject will come up.  But let me stress, the decision-making process is entirely for the full 100% a German process.  Would it be welcomed?  Of course, any contribution would be very welcome in Afghanistan.  And there is a need for reconnaissance aircraft.

Q:  (INAUDIBLE) Novosti, Belgrade.  Secretary-General, we know that you cannot say what is inside of Ahtisaari's proposal for final status for Kosovo.  But are you satisfied with this proposal?   You don't need to say what is inside.  But are you satisfied?  And is it sustainable and clear solution for Kosovo?

De Hoop Scheffer:  What an excellent question?  (LAUGHTER)  A really excellent question.  The answer you will find less than excellent, I'm afraid, but I'm not going to comment on the substance.  This is a process which is led by a special envoy of the United Nations, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.  He has been with the contact group.  He'll, without any doubt, go to the relevant parties.  And they're in that process of course.  Belgrade plays an important role, that it is really not up to me as NATO Secretary General, given the responsibilities, NATO-KFOR has in Kosovo to make any comments on the substance of what Ahtisaari's proposal.

Q:  Danish Broadcasting.  I would like to stick a little bit to Kosovo.  I would like to ask you, if NATO-KFOR in any ways did prepare for this report from Ahtisaari will cause demonstration, violence etc in Kosovo.  And I would also like to ask you to EU-NATO cooperation you said that is necessary, this must be done.  But a diplomat says that right now at a political level, it's almost impossible to have any sort of cooperation because it's so tense between NATO and EU.

De Hoop Scheffer:  No, I don't recognize that last analysis you're giving as "tense".  Definitely not, I have frequent contact with Javier Solana.  This morning Javier Solana was here, attended our meeting.  The Commission was here so I would not... definitely not characterize or qualify the relationship as "tense", definitely not.  What we do need is "concertation" between NATO and the European Union.  So I think the process is going well.   As you know, I'm telling you no news there are a number of formal hurdles which are very complicated.  But I think on an informal basis  we can get around those hurdles.  And the first part of your question was...?  You were quoting diplomats which is always dangerous. 

Q:  Yes, to what degree you have prepared KFOR for demonstrations, violence?  How do see the scenario?

De Hoop Scheffer:  I can't predict any scenario.  But what I can tell you is that KFOR is prepared for all eventualities and that KFOR is there - as I always say - I repeat here to protect majority and minority alike.  NATO-KFOR is therefore for every Kosovar, every citizen.  And KFOR is prepared for all eventualities.

Q:  Radio Bulgare, Serbie.  Monsieur le Secrétaire Général, envisagez-vous la création d'une force armée de Kosovo au Kosovo?

De Hoop Scheffer:  .  C'est aussi une question très intelligente en comparaison avec votre collègue serbe.  Je vous réponds sur cette question.  Je fais des commentaires sur la substance des propositions Ahtisaari.  Je voudrais bien, mais ce n'est pas mon rôle.  Ce n'est pas mon rôle.  C'est vraiment pas mon rôle.  Alors, vous n'auriez pas de commentaires de ma part, de la part de l'OTAN sur la substance des propositions Ahtisaari.  Vous me répondez une question sur la substance.

Q:  Excusez-moi, ma question ne portait pas du tout sur la proposition de M. Ahtisaari parce que dans certaines informations parlent d'une future création d'une force qu'on appelle parfois la gendarmerie d'à peu près 3,000 personnes.  Donc, c'est pour ça que je demandais, y a-t-il un projet de création d'une force armée militaire ou policière - je ne sais pas comment - mais qui serait propre au Kosovo, qui serait propre au Kosovo.

De Hoop Scheffer:  Non, mais excusez-moi, Madame, c'est 100% la substance que vous me demandez.

Q:  D'accord.

De Hoop Scheffer:  Il est bien possible qu'Ahtisaari ait des propositions sur ces sujets.  Mais si vous me demandez mes commentaires, ce que j'ai fait, c'est qu'exactement je ne peux pas faire, c'est faire des commentaires sur la substance.  C'est vraiment une division de responsabilité.  Ce n'est pas au Secrétaire Général de l'OTAN... ce n'est pas à l'OTAN de faire des commentaires sur les propositions d'Ahtisaari.