Warsaw, Poland 23 Sep. 2002

Presidential Reception Remarks by NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson at the Informal Defence Ministerial Let me begin by thanking our Polish hosts, including of course President Kwasniewski, Prime Minister Miller and Minister Szmajdzinski, for so generously hosting this important meeting. NATO's Defence Ministers are here to look towards the future, and to prepare for it. But it is only appropriate that we are meeting in a place where the history of this continent, and of our Atlantic Alliance, resonates so strongly. In May, 1955, the Warsaw Treaty was signed in this very room. The Warsaw Pact gave a name to the eastern part of a Euro-Atlantic area that would be divided for decades by walls, armies and ideologies. For that reason alone, this is an historic venue. But in the year's following signature of the Treaty, Poland itself became renowned for this country's courageous fight for freedom. From the student riots in Pozna in 1956, through to the strikes in the 1980s, Poland joined with her Central European partners in struggling to restore democracy and fundamental human rights. The success of that struggle is a tribute to the people of this country. It is a fitting irony indeed that Poland, where the Warsaw Pact was signed, led the way out of Soviet domination, and laid the groundwork for the collapse of the Pact itself in 1991. Today, Poland is where she belongs. As a strong and steadfast member of the Atlantic Alliance, contributing to all aspects of NATO's broad agenda. And as a vivid testament that vision and determination can indeed deliver a better future. That example is a strong guide for our work here today and tomorrow. The Defence Ministers are here to accomplish very important, and very practical tasks, including: to map out clear and concrete improvements to NATO's defence capabilities, in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century; to continue modernizing NATO's command structure; to examine NATO's operational roles, including in the war against terrorism and in the Balkans, and see how we can do better. This is detailed and complex work, but the overall goal is both clear and simple - to ensure that our Atlantic Alliance continues its transformation to meet effectively the new threats and new challenges of today and tomorrow. With vision and determination, we can accomplish this task. Most of all, we need effective and rapid action. This is not a formal meeting of Ministers, and decisions will not be taken here. But we cannot escape the immediate need for progress. Defence capabilities have become the key to so many elements of the transatlantic agenda: from achieving military success in NATO operations, to giving weight to the European pillar, to balancing transatlantic burdens more fairly, to meeting new threats. There is no time for empty words, or unfulfilled commitments. The price of failure is simply too high, politically as well as militarily. That is why I strongly encourage the Ministers here today to use this meeting as a real opportunity to move our agenda smartly forward. We must set targets that are, at the same time, both ambitious and realistic. We must make plans that are both far-reaching and achievable. And we must make commitments that are set in stone. These are real challenges. But NATO has succeeded in meeting all the challenges it has faced until now. I have every confidence we can meet these as well, and, in the next few months, put NATO on a new, more effective and more modern footing to meet the security challenges of the 21st century.