Åre, Sweden 25 May 2005 (Check Against Delivery)

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Security Forum Deputy Secretary General’s introductory remarks Panel on “NATO’s other Partnerships” Ladies and Gentlemen, The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Partnership for Peace are widely regarded as the “flagships” of NATO’s cooperation programmes. Given the depth of cooperation that we have achieved within these frameworks, and their wide geographic reach, this is no surprise. But the EAPC and PfP are not the only Partnership frameworks that NATO has developed. There is more. NATO has also extended partnership beyond the Euro-Atlantic area. The logic is clear: today’s security threats know no boundaries. That is why we need to seek partners beyond the Euro-Atlantic area as well. The launch of the Mediterranean Dialogue ten years ago was NATO’s first step towards a new relationship with our neighbours in Northern Africa and the Middle East. This was a natural step to establish a dialogue with countries which are so relevant to our security and which are developing fast. This interest has only grown over the years. I state the obvious when I say that all of us have an enormous interest in improving our relations with these nations. Since its inception, the Mediterranean Dialogue has steadily gained in substance, and we are now turning it into a genuine partnership framework that will help us all to address common security challenges. Our first ministerial meeting last December has shown the interest of our Partners to take a real ownership of this process. Let me stress that NATO’s outreach to these countries is not duplicative of those undertaken by other international fora and institutions -- NATO’s dialogue focuses on foreign policy, security and defence. Last year, we added a further dimension to our partnership policy. Through the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, we seek to engage countries in the Gulf region in a new framework of cooperation. This is a very timely initiative indeed. This region is extremely important from a strategic point of view. It is also exposed to significant security risks. Again, NATO can help address these questions, without duplicating the work of other organisations. As someone who is closely involved in the implementation of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, I am very optimistic about the potential of this Initiative. Already three countries, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait have formally joined this programme. Last, but not least, NATO has also developed relations with individual countries from very different corners of the world. Our so-called “contact countries” include Australia, New Zealand and Japan. These are countries who share the same strategic concerns as NATO and who have manifested interest in closer cooperation with us over the years. The rationale of cooperating with them is clear -- it is only natural that likeminded nations should work together to address common challenges. So what is the future of “NATO’s Other Partnerships”? What are the lessons that we have learned so far, and where can we do better? To help us answer these questions, we have put together a very distinguished panel that is almost as diverse as NATO’s partner and contact countries. Let me introduce the members of this panel and the discussants. First, Magda Vášáryová, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia. Ms. Vášáryová has been Ambassador of to Austria and Poland, as well as the President of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association. We are also pleased to have with us today Ambassador Halim Benattallah from Algeria. Algeria might be the most recent member of the Mediterranean Dialogue, but it is certainly one of the most active members. And Ambassador Benattallah is a key individual behind Algeria’s active approach. Our last panellist is Dr. Stephen Larabee, from the RAND Cooperation. Dr. Larabee is a known quantity on everything related to NATO, an intellectual architect of NATO’s post-Cold War transformation, and a well-known commentator on Middle Eastern issues. Dr. Larabee has also written several major works related to the Mediterranean, including on NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue. The panellists will have 8-10 minutes to make their remarks. Then, Thomas Valasek, Director of the Brussels Bureau of the Center for Defence Information will be our first discussant. He is a renowned security expert specialising in European defence issues. His numerous publications have made him a sought-after contributor to the transatlantic strategic debate. Next, Sean C. Carroll, the Director of Programmes of the Club of Madrid will speak. Mr. Carroll has not only extensive working experience on Capitol Hill, he has also worked a lot on Middle Eastern issues, notably at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. The two discussants will have 3-4 minutes to respond to the remarks of the panellists. I will then open the floor for what I hope will be a lively discussion.