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ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN (Secretary General of NATO): Good morning. Welcome to this press conference. Today we are going to launch the work of the group on the new Strategic Concept, but before going to that I would like to commence on the Kunduz air strike which has taken place this morning.
I have been closely monitoring the reports on what happened in Kunduz this morning, including from the chain of command. There was an ISAF air strike against Taliban during the night. Certainly a number of Taliban were killed. There's also the possibility of civilian casualties as well, but it is not yet clear.
An investigation team has been sent already to the scene, led by an Admiral from ISAF Headquarters. General McChrystal has already spoken to President Karzai to express his commitment to get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible.
That is what we know. The Afghan people should know that we are deeply committed to protecting them, and that we will fully and immediately investigate this incident.
And then today I'm pleased to welcome the 12 experts I selected to launch the process that will lead to a new Strategic Concept. Today they are here in the Headquarters for the first time.
The need for a new Strategic Concept is clear. The current one dates from 1999, before September 11th, before the conflict in Afghanistan, before cyber attacks, before piracy. And when NATO only had 16 members. The world has changed, the threats have changed, so has NATO. We need, and we will have, a Strategic Concept that takes account of today's realities and tomorrow's challenges as well.
Let me express my full confidence in the 12 experts. They have a range of expertise, including, but not limited to military security. The presence of the Chairperson, Madeleine Albright and the Deputy Chairperson Mr. van der Veer, is clear evidence of that. And I think that's right because we will need a broad and innovative perspective if we are to face the security challenges of the 21st Century effectively.
I intend to make this the most open, the most inclusive consultation process in NATO's history, and I dare say, in the history of any international organization. The experts will hold many consultations in many countries. I will do the same. And our web model is giving the world a window into the process and a way to provide input as well.
So all in all I think we are off to a good start, beginning today. And now let me give the floor to you Mrs. Albright.
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT (Chairperson, Strategic Concept Group): Well, thank you very much Mr. Secretary General for your leadership in this whole process and your desire to follow up on what the Heads of State decided at Strasbourg in terms of the necessity to develop a new Strategic Concept.
I appreciate very much my nomination by the government of the United States, but I especially appreciate your suggesting that I become the chair of this group. I look forward to the work. I look forward very much to working with Mr. Van der Veer and with the other experts.
We will, in fact, follow up in the way that the Secretary General has talked about. The necessity of looking at all the crucial issues of the 21st Century, as they affect the world's greatest alliance and work in a way that is open and transparent. And I personally take this very seriously and I look forward very much to working with you in your new leadership role as Secretary General of this fabulous organization.
Thank you so much for your confidence.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Thank you. Mr. Van der Veer.
JEROEN VAN DER VEER (Deputy Chairperson, Strategic Concept Group): Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary General. Thank you very much Mrs. Chairman. I was very flattered to be invited to this group. I really hope that the experts group can help in the formulation of the new Strategic Concept. I think that the Secretary General and Mrs. Albright said it very well, the world has changed, so the strategy may have to change. I will try to help that the new Strategic Concept has high clarity, is not too long, will have public support. Public support, of course, from the NATO members, but that the non-NATO members say okay, that's a logical position for NATO to take. And that we start today. We have about a year to work on and that should be the end product.
Back to you, Mr. Secretary General.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Thank you.
JAMES APPATHURAI (NATO Spokesman): Do you have any questions?
Q: Thank you very much. I'm Magdy Youssef, from Nile News, Egyptian Television. I have a question for the Secretary General. Are you adding the relation with the Arab world in your new Strategic Concept? Thank you.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: The Arab...?
Q: Yes, the Arab, the relations with the Arab world?
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Yes, it will be a focal point for us to include our good partners in the elaboration of the new Strategic Concept, including the members of the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.
Q: Mr. Rasmussen, (inaudible...), Associated Press. Another word on the air strike in Afghanistan, please. Can you tell us how many planes were involved and which ISAF nation was responsible for the attack? Thank you.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Unfortunately, I do not have any further information at this stage.
Q: Ina Strazdina, Radio Latvia. I have a question for you both, for Secretary General and Mrs. Albright about yesterday's event in Afghanistan. Do you see that civilian casualties is one of the biggest problems still in mission in Afghanistan of NATO? And do you predict that in your new strategy that you will pay a lot of attention to that problem? And also what will be the role of relationship with Russia in your new strategy? Thank you.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Let me take the last part first. Yes, the NATO relationship with Russia will be one of the very important issues. We have just discussed this before the press conference. As you all know, I have expressed the wish to develop better relations, to develop a strategic partnership with Russia and this will definitely be one of the important subjects in the Strategic Concept.
Concerning civilian casualties, let me say that it is really a focus point for our ISAF troops to minimize the number of civilian casualties, and a new strategy to that end has already been introduced, and it has been very successful actually.
Our commitment to protect civilians is demonstrated by the fact that civilian casualties caused by ISAF are down over 95 percent from last year's levels. But as we all know, in conflicts like this, mistakes can happen, but in this concrete case let's now see what the investigation concludes.
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: Obviously the relationship of NATO with Russia is a very important aspect and has been from the very beginning. When I was Secretary of State it was something that we talked about establishing and had a NATO-Russia Council. However, I have said personally that Russia can have a voice, but not a veto, and so it's important to know what the Russians have to say and how we really look at what the NATO interests are.
But we will obviously be engaged in a dialogue internally about the role of Russia, and I pick up on what the Secretary General said in terms of the importance of the relationship.
Q: (Inaudible...) question, General Secretary. I would like to use the opportunity to ask you, it's also a question, with Russia, what about the Arctic Sea. There are many speculations and rumours in the press, in the international press, and can you say us some concrete about it? About the charge of Arctic Sea?
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Well, no, I don't have any further information about this. We have already confirmed NATO has assisted the Russians. We have provided information for Russia, but I have no further details.
JAMES APPATHURAI: (Inaudible...).
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: Thank you.
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED: Thank you very much.