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"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 Macedonia1 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 Macedonia1 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.
.) Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.