NATO HQ, Brussels 7 Dec. 2001

Statement of the Vilnius Group by Mr. Dimitrij Rupel Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia at the EAPC Foreign Ministers Meeting We, the Foreign Ministers of the Vilnius Group countries - Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, fully associate ourselves with the North Atlantic Council's Statement "NATO's Response to Terrorism". We reiterate our strong condemnation of the barbaric acts of terrorism committed against the United States. We consider these acts to be an attack on us all. Our response to terrorism is strong, comprehensive, resolute and persistent. Every single country of the Vilnius Group contributes to the fight against terrorism together with the other members of the international coalition. The scourge of terrorism, new challenges and emerging asymmetric threats demand the adoption of a new dynamic agenda, which is being developed in various international fora, including the EAPC. We reiterate our full adherence to international documents addressing the fight against terrorism, and our commitment to relevant decisions of the North Atlantic Council. We reaffirm the commitment to conduct our foreign and security policies in accordance with the principles of the Washington Treaty.