The North Atlantic Council Brussels, 16 Oct. 1996

Address By H.E. Mr. Algirdas Brazauskas President Of The Republic Of Lithuania

Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great honour for me to address once again this honourable audience, representing sixteen nations - Western European countries, the United States and Canada, for a second time after almost two years. Lithuanias historic experience and the political developments in Europe have determined the priority of our foreign and domestic policy, namely, Lithuanias integration into the Euro-Atlantic defence and economic structures. Our determination to join the European Union and NATO is seen as a necessity by the Lithuanian society. The membership is the only way for us to return to the community of Western nations which share the common values of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Lithuanias integration into the European Union and NATO represents our essential interests. In our view, these processes of integration are interrelated and complementary. Lithuania is already contributing to transatlantic security through maintaining good neighbourly relations, continuing its democratic and economic reforms, and by participating in the NATO-led peace implementation mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Lithuania is successfully implementing the principles of market economy and is carrying out a vigorous privatisation programme. We recognise the necessity of free trade, free movement of capital and labour and modernisation of the system of social guarantees. Lithuania has made a considerable progress in harmonising its legislation with the EU legal standards. Our country participates in free trade with all European Union members states, the Baltic countries and Ukraine; we are also engaged in active preparation for the introduction of free trade regime with the CEFTA and EFTA countries. According to international credit rating companies, Lithuania is a reliable country to invest into. Our successful implementation of the policy of good neighbourly relations plays a positive role in this respect. We have repeatedly stated that Lithuanias aspiration for full NATO membership is not based on either presumed or existing threat. Rather, this aspiration is an expression of political logic of the European integration. Lithuanias membership in NATO would further consolidate democracy inside the state and would accelerate our integration into Europe. It would also enhance security and stability in the Baltic Sea region. The process of political consultations with the former adversaries started by NATO after the end of Cold War and its development within the Partnership programme should lead to a natural admission of new members. For almost five decades, the Alliance has proved its ability to unite Western nations, to maintain and strengthen peace, democracy, security, and stability on the Old Continent. We believe that NATO is and will remain the main guarantor of security and stability in Europe. In our view, NATOs effectiveness should be maintained and strengthened in a number of ways, by carrying out new missions, the search for a new role while ensuring transatlantic security, and through the implementation of the obligation under the Washington Treaty under new circumstances and within a broader context. Lithuania is committed to contribute to this process, so that the adaptation of the Alliance and its opening up are a success and a benefit to all. Lithuania was not able to be among the democratic nations which established the North Atlantic Alliance in 1949, because we were separated from the West by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as far back as 1939. Just now, we have a chance to ensure that the freedom of our country is not questioned in the future. We want and should take advantage of it. We need to restore the historic justice, to guarantee the independence, to return to the community of the like-minded nations. The opening of the Alliance will play a key role in meeting this challenge. I think Lithuania should be among the first new members of NATO. By maintaining good neighbourly relations, conducting economic reforms, respecting the rights of national minorities, and already sharing the responsibility and risk in the joint operations with the Alliance, we think, we prove once more our capability not only to be the security consumers but the security bearers as well. Lithuania is ready to be a reliable and active member. You should not expect us to be troublemakers. We understand that the interoperability of national forces is an important and constantly continuing process. To these ends we pay a particular attention to the interoperability related issues and we are ready to remove the remaining obstacles in the compatibility area. In a few weeks time, this years last Lithuanian - NATO 16 plus one meeting will take place. By participating in the intensified dialogue, Lithuania has become aware of the obligations to the Alliance; it has also presented its views on the Alliance enlargement strategy and introduced its plans for the preparation for membership in the Alliance as well as other important documents. The dialogue initiated by NATO has reaffirmed that the main objective, that of NATO enlargement, is being pursued in a weighed and thoughtful manner. Intensified dialogue meetings have demonstrated that preparation for the enlargement of the Alliance would require significant additional efforts and considerable financial resources. To this end we are ready to assume additional, increased obligations. We are very serious about our preparation for the Alliance membership; moreover, we have a respective mandate of the Lithuanian nation. In 1995, Lithuania joined the Partnership Planning and Review (PARP) process. Our troops participated in 23 joint military exercises and in over a hundred events within the PfP framework. Lithuania is ready to take an active part in the enhanced Partnership programme. The military skills of our troops and their interoperability with NATO forces are constantly on the increase. The civilian democratic control of the armed forces and control over defence budget planning are also improving. The progress achieved in air space control, communications, and peace keeping operations is in line with the NATO standards. Lithuania is an active partner of the Alliance in the field of political and military co-operation. While discussing Lithuanias defence budget for next year, the Lithuanian Government adopted a political decision to increase considerably (to double) defence expenditure, thus testifying to Lithuanias determination to create an effective defence system and to upgrade the interoperability and compatibility of the national armed forces with those of the Alliance. Lithuania is making a practical contribution towards the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord. Four Lithuanian peace-keeping platoons took part in the peace-keeping and peace implementation missions in Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Starting with 2 October this year, the mission is continued by a Lithuanian company of the Baltic Peace-Keeping Battalion. A joint peace-keeping battalion is to be set up with our neighbour Poland, with which we are carrying out intensive bilateral military cooperation. We welcome Nato decision to enlarge and we fully support the concept of the indivisibility of European security, stability and well-being. Lithuania has always been among the states that underline that the opening of the Alliance towards the new democracies of Central Europe, including the Baltic states, means an eastward extension of the zone of security and stability. This would strengthen democracy in the region and would be a major support to the ongoing reforms there. We see the opening of NATO as a process wherein all participating partner-states are given equal opportunities. In our view, such a development would ensure that the security of some states should not be reached at the expense of others. During the five years of NACC and the four year of the PFP, a natural differentiation has emerged among the partners. Such differentiation arises from both, the wish of some states to become members of the Organisation and their progress in meeting the inter-operability requirements. The recognition of the existing differentiation would fall within the logical development of the Alliance. The flexible Partnership programme created by the Alliance should be further developed through the principle of self-selection. Thus, conditions would be set for more intensive practical co-operation as well as for political prospects of membership for all partners who wish to join the Alliance. On the other hand, a special relationship with Russia and Ukraine should be considered. One should also consider strengthening cooperation with other NACC and PFP partners who did not express their wish to join the Alliance. This would but reaffirm the unique character of the Partnership programme, its inherent flexibility and its ability to meet the individual needs of the countries. In my opinion, a flexible development of the Partnership programme by recognizing the existing differentiation among the partners would be an important factor in support of NATO enlargement. Only then the process of enlargement would enhance the security and stability of all the partners, rather than those few who would be the first to join. In December this year and in 1997 the North Atlantic Council are to adopt key decisions on Who and When will be admitted to the Alliance. We hope that the decisions adopted by the governments of the 16 member states to start the NATO enlargement process will continue the historic success of the Alliance, will extend the zone of security, stability and democracy on the Continent, create conditions for a successful continuation of the economic reforms and will consolidate good neighbourly relations. Thank you.