22 Mar. 2004

Secretary General visits Czech Republic and Slovakia News 18/03/2004 - NATO Secretary General to visit Slovakia 17/03/2004 - NATO Secretary General to visit Czech Republic Background Focus on 7 Invitees Enlargement Opinions 19/03/2004 - NATO "Towards a Wider Europe: The New Agenda" - Speech by NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the Prime Ministerial Conference, Bratislava, Slovakia 18/03/2004 - NATO "Five Years of the Czech Republic in NATO" - Remarks by NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during his visit to the Czech Republic Key link "Towards a Wider Europe: The New Agenda" - High level conference Bratislava, 18-19 March 2004 From left to right: Czech MFA Cyril Svoboda, NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Czech PM Vladimir Špidla (Photo Czech MFA) NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid a one-day visit to Prague on 18 March and to Bratislava on 19 March, for an official visit and to take part in a high-level conference on NATO and EU enlargement. In Prague, Mr. de Hoop Scheffer met with President Vaclav Klaus, Prime Minister Vladimir Špidla, Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda, Defence Minister Miroslav Kostelka, Senate Chairman Petr Pithart and House of Representatives Chairman Lubomir Zaoralek. The Secretary General discussed key issues on the Alliance’s agenda ahead of the upcoming Summit meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government in Istanbul this June, and outlined his priorities as Secretary General. Celebrating five years of membership Mr. de Hoop Scheffer also took part in events commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Czech Republic joining the Alliance. “Having suffered from many of the ill-winds that swept the 20th century, the Czech Republic, as a member of NATO, would no longer be alone in facing the challenges of the future,” the Secretary General in his address at the commemoration, “But the Czech Republic's membership in NATO did not only benefit this country. It was also a major step forward for our Alliance.” The Secretary General also took the opportunity to once again condemn the recent violence in Kosovo, adding that “a special duty also falls on the political leaders of all ethnic communities in Kosovo to stop the spiral of senseless violence.” Welcoming a new member From left to right: NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Slovak PM Mikuláš Dzurinda (Photo WENA) In Bratislava, Mr. de Hoop Scheffer met with President Rudolf Schuster, Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan, Defence Minister Juraj Liska, as well as Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Hrusovsky and other parliamentarians. He congratulated Slovakia on its imminent membership in the Alliance and said that NATO membership would bring both benefits, in the form of security guarantees, and obligations. The Secretary General also addressed the high level conference on "Towards a Wider Europe: The New Agenda”. The event brought together Heads of State, Prime Ministers, politicians, analysts and journalists for two days of discussions about the future of Europe, the twin enlargement and transformation of both, NATO and the EU. “This is a historic period for Europe. In the next few weeks, both NATO and the EU will admit a significant number of new members – many of which are represented here today,” he said, “This will bring us a huge step closer to what has always been a strategic objective of both our organisations: a Europe whole and free, united in democracy and common values.”