Press
Statement
by
NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson at the Press Conference following
NAC Defense Ministerial Meeting
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,
This is the third time in a little more than a month that I have the
pleasure to welcome you to a major NATO press conference. Last month NATO
Foreign Ministers met in Reykjavik, then the NATO-Russia summit was held
in Rome and today Defense Ministers have met here in Brussels.
NATO has been very busy indeed.
Following in the footprints of Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers today
have made and adopted some fundamental decisions. These decisions will
have a profound impact on the future development of NATO. They will ensure
that the Alliance, and indeed conceivably an enlarged Alliance, will remain
vital and effective.
Today's decisions will pave the way for a successful summit in Prague
later this year which will see the emergence of a modernized, updated
NATO equipped to face the new and daunting challenges with which confront
us today.
At the end of the day, our decisions on capabilities, on the review of
NATO's structures, and on measures to counter weapons of mass destruction
are all about one thing: maintaining NATO's preponderance as the only
military and political organisation capable of defending and promoting
the collective values of democracy, freedom, liberty and the rule of law.
Obviously, the adaptation of NATO is an evolutionary process. It will
not happen overnight. And it will require dedication and money. Today,
ministers took a significant step forward by embracing a new, more focussed
approach to capabilities based on firm commitments and on target dates.
They put forward concrete initiatives to improve our defence against weapons
of mass destruction attacks, in addition to the existing capability gaps
that needed to be filled. Ministers also agreed to look again at the Alliance's
overall command and control structures. This will be a comprehensive review
and the aim is to take decisions on it by the Summer of 2003.
This clearly signals that NATO means business. When I look back at the
progress accomplished in a remarkably short period of time, I have a distinct
sense of pride. Much has been done to take into account the most recent
changes in the strategic environment, from the tragic, such as the attacks
on the United States of 11 September, to some of the most extraordinarily
positive such as our new relations with Russia and the end of the Cold
War divisions of Europe.
Ladies and gentlemen, the world is changing and so is NATO. Together,
as Allies and Partners, we are determined to make it better and safer.
We will do what must be done to continue to honour this solemn commitment
which is the cornerstone of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Thank you.
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