Général Craddock, Mesdames, Messieurs,
Merci. C’est toujours avec grand plaisir que je viens au SHAPE, car votre accueil est chaque fois très chaleureux. Et j’ai remarqué que la sympathie que vous me témoignez est inversement proportionnelle à la longueur de mon discours. Je vous promets donc d’être bref cet après-midi. Nous célébrons aujourd’hui quarante années de présence du SHAPE à Mons. C’est un anniversaire important, un anniversaire qui mérite d’être fêté comme il se doit et qui mérite au moins quelques paroles d’hommage.
Ce que je tiens à dire avant toute chose, au nom de tous les membres du Conseil de l’Atlantique Nord, c’est un très grand « merci ». Merci, pas seulement à vous général Craddock et à vous général Reith, que je vois régulièrement, mais aussi à tous les personnels du SHAPE - militaires et civils – qui participent à la mise en œuvre des décisions politiques prises à Bruxelles. Vous faites un travail formidable. Les autorités politiques de l’OTAN le savent et elles vous en sont extrêmement reconnaissantes.
Je n’ai pas l’intention de faire l’historique du quartier général, mais je voudrais mettre en exergue un événement récent. Le SHAPE a toujours su suivre le progrès et il sait tout particulièrement faire face aux défis de sécurité actuels. La transformation du SHAPE il y a quelques années en Commandement allié Opérations a considérablement développé l’aspect opérationnel du travail des autorités militaires de l’OTAN, évolution qui était indispensable. Or le développement de l'aspect opérationnel arrivait à point nommé, car il coïncidait avec une augmentation significative du nombre et du rythme des opérations dans lesquelles était engagée l’Alliance, ainsi qu'avec l’augmentation de l’étendue géographique de ces engagements.
As you well know, recent operations included providing humanitarian assistance in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Pakistan. We continue to lead the international force in Kosovo. We maintain a presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
We provide training assistance to the Iraqi security forces. We support the African Union in their mission in the Dafur. Our Article 5 operation, ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR, has been progressively expanded in the Mediterranean, and has included participation from partners such as Russia and Ukraine. And last, but by no means least, we have expanded the NATO-led ISAF to the whole of Afghanistan. Our mission there is in many ways the most demanding in the Alliance’s history. It is a long way from our traditional base; it involves a wide variety of military roles ranging from humanitarian aid, through peacekeeping, to highly dangerous combat operations; and the terrain and geography can be quite inhospitable. And supporting this mission places a considerable additional burden on you here in SHAPE.
NATO’s operations and missions, whether in Kosovo, Afghanistan, or elsewhere, have made a significant improvement to the security environment, and to the quality of life of the people who live in these places. And that is exactly as it should be. Where NATO goes, stability and security accompanies it. Sometimes, it might take longer than we would like for stability and security to be fully rooted, but NATO – politically and militarily - has shown the determination to make the long-term commitments where necessary. We have an enviable success rate. And that success is in a very large part due to the excellent work that you do here.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
For forty years, this headquarters has played an absolutely vital role in ensuring that NATO can defend successfully Allies’ common security interests, and common values. SHAPE’s contribution includes planning operations, directing those operations, and it also includes providing the Alliance with an invaluable source of ideas and concepts that permit NATO to remain up to the task the Allies have set it.
But a headquarters is not merely a building – its most critical component is the people who work in it. And we are all well aware of the excellent work that goes on in this headquarters on a daily basis – and not just during daylight hours, but frequently throughout the night and also at weekends. So, once again, thank you very much for all that you do to contribute to our Alliance’s success. And thanks, just as importantly, to all the family members, who support the hardworking headquarters staff and the 55,000 troops deployed on NATO missions. Your contributions are also essential. And happy 40th anniversary to all!