Press conference

by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
at the EAPC Security Forum

De Hoop Scheffer:  Thank you, good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.  Let me start this press conference by once again thanking our host very warmly for the wonderful reception they are giving us.  This is quite an organization.  I can tell you from personal experience to have so many people, so many ministers, representatives from NGOs, the media.  You know how the seminar is organized; and the organization is flawless.  So a big hand for the authorities here in Ohrid. 

I'm speaking to you from what is definitely in the history of this nation a historic place, Ohrid, the Gorica Hotel.  I just spoke to the president yesterday.  I spoke to the prime minister.  The Ohrid Framework Agreement is of course the guiding document on the basis we do have our relations and on the basis of which this nation has further developed without strife and without bloodshed.  So I want to say this from the outset because this is really an historic place.

I won't be too long because I hoped you listened to my speech this morning.  You know what the themes of the seminar are.  I said what I had to say about Afghanistan, about energy security, about this region in general, about the aspirations of the MAP 3, about the still unsolved, unfortunately unsolved status issue of Kosovo.  So if you have forgotten what I said, you can reach my speech on the Web.  I'm not going to repeat this all here.

So after those few introductory words, the floor is open and I'm ready to answer your questions.  Thank you.

Q:  (INAUDIBLE) Television from Macedonia.  Mister Scheffer, you said a few times that the EuroAtlantic integration of Macedonians to the rest of the Balkans will slow down in the case of non-solution for Kosovo.  So does it mean Western Balkans is a hostage of Kosovo, no matter of the achievement of the criteria?

De Hoop Scheffer:    No, it certainly is not.  And that is not what I said, what I said is that if, at the end of the day, and we don't know when the end of the day will be, that will certainly take time. 

At the end of the day, the EuroAtlantic integration of this whole region is in my opinion the way to go and is essential for lasting security and stability, then you will agree with me that we also have to find a solution.  I think it's fairly urgent for the status of Kosovo. 

But I have made no link whatsoever between the present status of the region, the present status of the MAP 3 in their quest for NATO membership and the lack of a solution for Kosovo.  The one does not influence and will not influence the other. 

But Kosovo is clearly still the missing link.  And when you look at the Western Balkan in the totality and that is what I said... because in the longer run, it is the EuroAtlantic integration of this region in its totality which is, in my opinion, very important but no link in the political or any other sense.

Q:  (INAUDIBLE) Macedonian Television.  Mister General Secretary, you had a meeting with our President and with our Prime Minister...

Q:  (IN MACEDONIAN) 

De Hoop Scheffer:  The one...  as you know the one exactly I can never answer, because then I would contradict myself in the sense that this is a performance based process.  I can never answer the "when".  What I can tell you and this is what I discussed with the Prime Minister and the President, Prime Minister yesterday, the President a moment ago is that is of course of crucial importance that the reform process in a number of important areas will be strictly adhere to.  And that is in the well-known areas I think from equitable representation, the second phase of decentralization, religious freedom, let me add also a normal relationship between all the different political parties be they in government, be they in opposition. 

I've been in Parliament in my own nation for a long time.  So I'm not saying that government in opposition should agree with each other on every point of political substance.  But there should be a normal relationship.  And I do hope that the arrangements made between the government and the DPA party will and can be implemented fully.

I could mention judicial reform which is very important.  I mentioned already religious freedom on the basis of the Venice Commission criteria.  So there are still areas in which reforms will have to be implemented.  The implementation is all what matters.  And that is... that is what I can tell your people.  And that is what I've told your Prime Minister and your President and where we then finally land we will have to see on basis of the performance. 

Q:  (INAUDIBLE)  One Television and Reuters.  Mister Secretary General, does NATO with its European partners has any back-up plan if Russia continues to block any kind of resolution or solution for Kosovo?  And another one, very short, you said: "Every country will be evaluated separately for enlargement."  Is it possible that on the next summit, only one or two countries receive an invitation while the others will have still to wait?

De Hoop Scheffer:    On your last question, my answer is yes because there will be no packaging.   The Allies will individually judge the merits of an individual nation.  So one qualifying does not mean automatically that the other two in this case would qualify automatically because there will be "political packaging" as I have dubbed it.  You can find another word "automatism" whatever.  But there will no "packaging" so every single nation will be judged individually.

On Kosovo, please do realize that the process as such is not in NATO's hands.  NATO does not steer and control and NATO does not want to steer and control this process.  That is in the Security Council of the United Nations.  NATO has a big stake in the solution for the one and only reason that NATO has 16,000 men and women in uniform on the ground in Kosovo.  And that is of course the most important element in guaranteeing a climate of security and stability in Kosovo. 

So NATO and the Allies have said on many occasions... and that's why I use the words "no unnecessary delay" this morning in my speech.  That's as soon as possible and in my opinion very soon, I hope the Security Council would come to a conclusion about the status of Kosovo.  Now, you and I know that there are problems in the sense that Security Council does not yet agree of what that should be. 

But I stick to my point, no unnecessary delay.  I add that during this process... and as we speak it is important for all parties to show restraint and calm.  I think nobody will gain anything by any unforeseen developments.  Restraint and calm would be my two key words in this regard. 

Q:  (INAUDIBLE) Serbian National TV.  My question, M.  Scheffer, can you really guarantee security for Serbian people on Kosovo?  And how long does NATO plan to keep 16,000 soldiers on Kosovo?

De Hoop Scheffer:  Well, KFOR is in Kosovo to protect minority and majority alike.  And the last two times I've visited Kosovo and I'll go there again this afternoon I made a specific point of visiting monasteries and churches because I wanted to show after the 2004 incidents and the 2004 violence that KFOR is there indeed to protect minority and majority alike.  And KFOR will do everything in its power just to do that. 

For that, KFOR does need, of course...   And I come back to my words "calm" and "restraint" again.  To do that, KFOR needs calm and restraint.  And KFOR and NATO also need flexibility, flexibility... political flexibility with all those ones concerned in finding a solution for the status of Kosovo.  And you know what I mean by that, flexibility in all signs so that... this Security Council process can run its course.  But KFOR is there for majority and minority alike.

Q:  Paul Ames, from the Associated Press.  Secretary General, you've outlined a three prong strategy today for energy security role for NATO.  When do you think those options you mentioned regarding protection the infrastructure and sea lanes, when do you think that might be put into practice.  And secondly, what do you think the main threats to energy supply, to energy infrastructure is coming from it on this matter?

De Hoop Scheffer:  The first part of your question is for me difficult to answer because we have just started this discussion.  You remember Riga.  And you remember what heads of State and government decided in Riga.  And it's up to us... that means up to the Council in permanent session and to me as a chair to put that into practice.  And we have just started that discussion.  So it's difficult to say when it will be implemented. 

The second remark, especially again what was also key of that part of my speech that is NATO's added value.  NATO is not the European Union.  NATO is not the IEA.  NATO is a political military alliance.  But in the three domains I mentioned we are starting the discussion.  And I hope the discussion will also, as I said this morning, include partners.  

A third point that I should underline that on the issues I mentioned, perhaps with the exception what I called maritime domain awareness, I mentioned Operation Endeavour in the Mediterranean, it is of course, first and foremost a national responsibility.  And the last thing NATO will do or the Allies will do that will be to infringe on national sovereignty.

But in the areas I mentioned, I think the... I think on the areas I mentioned the discussion is focussed.  But the Alliance is the very early stages of discussing this.  So this is what I can say at this very moment.

Q:  Jim Neuger from Bloomberg back to the question of packaging.  Do you appear to be very upbeat about the progress Macedonia has made so far?  Was that the correct impression that we got from your speech this morning?  And are you equally positive about what Croatia and Albania has done so far?

De Hoop Scheffer:  Well, if you have concluded that I was upbeat, let me stress that again, upbeat or not upbeat, that I think a lot has been done, a lot still needs to be done.  And the decisions will be taken on the basis of performance.  But a lot has been done.  That goes without saying.  But as I know as a marathon runner, excuse my mantra again...  When you run a marathon, the first miles are more easy than the last ones.  And you have to avoid meeting the man with a hammer as we in my mother tongue Dutch.  In other words, let's not create the picture that it is done because it is not done.  Am I upbeat?  I think a lot has been... a lot has happened.  And the process as I answered your colleague here in the front row, a lot still has to happen.  But draw your conclusions from what I said in my speech this morning.

Q:  Mr.  General, Secretary General, (INAUDIBLE) co-editor in Daily News Paper from Priština and (INAUDIBLE) Press Agency.  I would like to go back to the Kosovo issue if you allow me.  First, can you please define us what is the unnecessary postponement of the status, what do you mean by "unnecessary delays", why is that unnecessary?  And second, how will KFOR act in case that Kosovo authorities proclaim unilaterally their independence, Sir?

De Hoop Scheffer:  I used the word "unnecessary" and do see that in combination to what I answered to your colleague from Serbia.  That concerns unnecessary delay caused by a lack of flexibility from the one or the other in the process which is running in the United Nations. 

On the second part of your question, I'll not speculate on anything in this regard because if I make a plea for "restraint" and "calm"...  And I say this... and let me underline that again as Secretary General of NATO... and NATO is not running this process, NATO is interested and NATO has a lot at stake because of KFOR.  And because of the fact that also after status a military presence will be necessary and needed.  But I'm saying this because the United Nations led process demands and needs flexibility from all sides.  There is a fair and comprehensive solution on the table.  I mentioned the Ahtisaari proposals this morning.  But I have to leave as Secretary General of NATO the process to the United Nations Security Council.  And when I say unnecessary delay, I've indicated what I mean by unnecessary delay, delay caused by a lack of flexibility. 

Q:  (INAUDIBLE).  Mr. Scheffer, how do you feel coming to the host nation country, addressing to the people of this nation, and practically be obliged not to use the constitutional name of the country where you are coming this, today and yesterday?

De Hoop Scheffer:    Well, that question has a fairly easy answer.  This is formal situation.  There is a name issue which is not a NATO issue.  So I'll not comment on that name issue.  The only think I hope...  and I'll repeat what I said on many, many previous occasions, I hope that the parties concerned will find a solution for the name issue.  But I'm not going to comment on the name issue.  I know what the formal situation is....  Everything in this country knows what the formal situation is.  And that is... that is as it is.  I cannot change that as NATO Secretary General.  I can only express the hope that sooner rather than later a solution for the name issue will be found.  But there is a formal situation.  I can deplore that.  I cannot deplore that.  There is this situation and I hope for a quick and speedy solution.