27 June 2004

Istanbul Summit: A New Atlanticism for the 21st Century Events NATO Istanbul Summit Opinions 27/06/2004 - NATO A New Atlanticism for the 21st Century - Speech by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the Conference of the German Marshall Fund Multimedia 27/06/2004 - NATO High resolution photos of the speech Speaking at a high-level conference on the eve of NATO’s Istanbul Summit, NATO Secretary General De Hoop Scheffer said it will demonstrate that a new transatlantic security consensus is taking shape. Last year’s controversy over Iraq is being replaced with new cooperation and a revitalisation of NATO as the major instrument for that cooperation, he said. New consensus This “new Atlanticism” recognizes the need to tackle security problems where they emerge, to develop new military capabilities and to engage North Africa and the broader Middle East. In his speech, the Secretary General said the decisions at NATO’s Istanbul Summit will demonstrate this consensus and “signal that the transatlantic community remains the most powerful force for shaping the future”. “After more than half a century, NATO is finally turning into a framework for transatlantic action wherever our security interests demand it. This is a sea change in the way we think about – and employ – this Alliance. And it holds enormous potential for the future of NATO as a transatlantic instrument,” Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told the conference. The conference on “Atlantic Alliance at a New Crossroads Conference” was organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation. Several senior politicians from both sides of the Atlantic have agreed to address the audience among them the NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.