|
NATO
Defence ministers meet in Brussels
"We are here today to talk, to consult, to share
our thinking and to work together toward a better future.
No more, no less than that", declared Lord Robertson
in his opening statement to the meeting of Defence Ministers
at NATO HQ, Brussels, 7-8 June. The European Security
and Defence Identity (ESDI), NATO's Defence Capabilities
Initiative (DCI), missile defence and developments in
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1)
were at the core of discussions during the two days.
ESDI
- The way forward in developing NATO-EU relations dominated
discussions on the European Security and Defence Identity.
Defence Ministers also echoed what NATO Foreign Ministers
had stated in Budapest last week, namely the role of
NATO's Defence Capabilities Initiative in reinforcing
the European pillar of NATO and its mutually reinforcing
character with the EU's Headline Goal.
DCI
- Regarding the status of NATO's Defence Capabilities
Initiative, which aims to improve the capacity of Allies
to ensure the effectiveness of future multinational
operations and meet new security challenges, a number
of shortfalls were identified. However, Defence Ministers
reiterated their commitment to the Initiative, stating
they would increase their "
personal involvement
in the implementation of DCI through better making use
of existing resources, by increasing available resources
where necessary, and through engaging more directly
in decision making on potential multinational projects".
Missile
defence - The US Secretary of Defense,
Donald Rumsfeld
gave an extensive presentation on the US thinking on missile
defence and the need to move away from Cold War logic
to adapt to future security challenges. He explained US
concerns regarding problems of proliferation and the spread
of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery,
as well as the US approach on how to address these challenges.
This brought discussions to a higher level of detail than
they had reached up to now. Consultations on this issue
will continue, Ministers stated.
The
Balkans - The region was the subject
of a separate statement, in which Defence Ministers
announced, among other things, a "moderate reduction"
in SFOR troops and reasserted their support for the
authorities
in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1)
in their efforts to isolate the ethnic Albanian extremists.
On the second day, Defence Ministers from NATO and partner
countries were briefed on recent developments in the area
by Carl Bildt, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General
to the Balkans.
NATO Defence Ministers discussed these main issues, as
well as other items on NATO's current agenda, within the
format of the North Atlantic Council -NATO's top decision
making body, NATO's Nuclear Planning Committee -where
it was noted that nuclear forces remain an integral part
of a credible deterrence- and its Defence Planning Committee,
which focused on the next round of Force Goals. Discussions
closed on 7 June with a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
with Defence Minister Kuzmuk, which concentrated on defence
reform.
|
On the second day, Defence Ministers met with the newly
appointed Russian Defence Minister, Sergey Ivanov within
the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council. In addition to
discussions on NATO-Russia cooperation, an agreement
was signed on the opening of an "Information, Consultation
and Training Centre" for discharged military personnel.
Defence Ministers also met with their counterparts from
partner countries during a meeting of the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council. As well as being briefed by Carl
Bildt, they reviewed the strategic environment, security
risks and opportunities in the Euro-Atlantic area and
assessed the contribution of Partnership for Peace to
crisis management capabilities.
Additional
information:
- Turkey
recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional
name.
|