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"
We convene today to carry the evolution of our Alliance another major step forward. Among the key issues we will discuss are NATO's role in supporting the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia, and the further development of a European Security Architecture, including the strengthening of the Partnership for Peace and the enlargement of our Alliance.
Let me start with the burning issue of the war in the former Yugoslavia. One cannot be but appalled by the recent developments. This conflict in the heart of Europe poses a paramount challenge not only for our Alliance but also for the entire international community. NATO will continue to contribute its best efforts to bring peace to this war-torn region. Indeed, our purpose remains to underpin the efforts of the United Nations and the Contact Group to achieve a negotiated settlement.
We are continuing the enforcement of the naval embargo, which has been highly effective. NATO operations under the recent United Nations Security Council Resolution now reach into the Protected Areas in Croatia. And we have demonstrated through our recent air strikes that NATO can indeed act robustly and decisively when it is asked to do so.
But I must stress that the Alliance is not in the driver's seat in this crisis. Several years ago, the international community decided to give the United Nations the lead, and to NATO a supportive role. We are prepared to do more if that would help advance the cause of peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but under the current mandate and procedures we can only act when asked to do so by the United Nations. We must also make sure that the right conditions are created in order that our actions are carried out in an efficient way and that the security of our pilots is adquately taken care of. Ultimately, as I have said, this crisis is a challenge for the whole international community, and it is only through a coordinated approach that we will be able to achieve a lasting peace.
As for NATO itself, solidarity is the key; in fact, it is the cornerstone of this Alliance and the reason for our succcess during the Cold War. We tend to take this solidarity for granted during normal times. It is only in difficult times such as these that it is truly tested and it truly matters. We are now being put to this test, and I have every confidence that our solidarity will see us through now as it has in even darker circumstances before.
At their Summit meeting last January, Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Alliance took a number of important decisions which laid out the road map of our Alliance for years to come. In the eleven months since, we have worked hard to implement these decisions. Today we will review where we stand and how we can give further impetus to move ahead.
Partnership for Peace continues to be at the top of our priorities. It is one of the most ambitious endeavours of the Alliance. To further open the Alliance's structures and to make the necessary preparations here at NATO Headquarters and in Mons for the implementation of the various programmes has been an enormous challenge that the Alliance is successfully meeting. Twenty-three countries have joined, and others may join soon. Nine Individual Partnership Programmes have been agreed, another one will follow this afternoon. Three joint military Partnership exercises have already been held. The Partnership Coordination Cell is functioning, with liaison officers represented from many Partner countries. Here at NATO Headquarters, Partners fill our new ""Manfred Worner Wing"".
But this is only the beginning. It is essential that we maintain the momentum. This means above all that the Partnership must have the additional financial resources it needs in order to fulfil its full potential to be the centrepiece of cooperation in today's security community. Partners are making an effort to come up with the necessary funds to make this Partnership successful. We must also come forward with the necessary funds to meet their expectations and to maintain the efficiency of our Alliance. Moreover, as stated by our Heads of State and Government in January, active participation in the Partnership will also play an important role in the evolutionary process of the expansion of NATO.
The Partnership for Peace, as all other initiatives of the Alliance, is aimed at building stability in Europe and contributing to an evolving cooperative security structure. When we move on to enlarge the Alliance, it will be within this context. We have a moral duty not to squander this historic opportunity to anchor the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe permanently in the West. At the January Summit we declared that we expected and would welcome NATO's enlargement. It is within this spirit that the Alliance should start an internal discussion of the ""how and why"" of enlargement. This will be another proof of NATO's strong commitment to move forward on this fundamental question. We will engage in this discussion with vigour and I am confident that by this time next year we will have achieved concrete results.
Il est essentiel que nous associons concretement la Russie a l'edification d'un nouvel ordre de securite en Europe. L'adhesion de ce pays au Partenariat pour la paix a ouvert la voie a des relations solides, comme l'a fait l'instauration d'un meilleur dialogue entre l'OTAN et la Russie a la suite des decisions prises par l'Alliance a la reunion ministerielle d'Istanbul. Depuis, des progres serieux ont ete realises dans l'elaboration du cadre pour l'elargissement du dialogue, de la cooperation et du partenariat avec la Russie dans des domaines ou ce pays a des competences ou un poids particuliers. Nous avons l'intention de renforcer encore davantage cette relation, qui restera ouverte et transparente dans l'interet de l'Europe tout entiere. Nous nous felicitons donc tres vivement de l'adoption plus tard dans la journee du programme de partenariat individuel de la Russie.
Une autre grande decision prise par le Sommet fut l'approbation d'une approche commune de l'Alliance afin d'empecher la proliferation des armes de destruction massive. La dissemination de telles armes pourrait etre l'un des defis majeurs des prochaines annees en matiere de securite. Nous progressons, et aujourd'hui nous pouvons mesurer les avancees que nous avons realisees en ce qui concerne aussi bien les aspects politiques du probleme que ses incidences dans le domaine de la defense.
L'Alliance consacre une attention de plus en plus grande a la region mediterraneenne. Nous examinerons donc des propositions elaborees par le Conseil en session permanente en vue de contribuer au renforcement de la stabilite dans la region et a une meilleure comprehension mutuelle entre l'Alliance et ses voisins du Sud. Parmi ces propositions, figure l'instauration d'un dialogue direct avec les pays mediterraneens comme premiere etape au developpement de relations plus etroites dans cette region d'un interet croissant pour l'Alliance.
Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has become increasingly a catalyst for political change. At today's session of the North Atlantic Council, as well as at tomorrow's meeting of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, we aim to take further steps towards our goal of a just and lasting order of peace and security for the entire Euro-Atlantic area. I am confident that we will succeed in our endeavours. I now give the floor to our President d'Honneur, Secretary of State Christopher.
"