Post-Prague Agenda Issues for Euro-Atlantic Community
Mr. Toms Baumanis
Vice-Chairman, Latvian Transatlantic Organization (LATO)
Speech delivered to the 12th Annual Zappeion Symposium entitled “From Prague to Copenhagen: Enlargement and Euro-Atlantic Security and Cooperation” organized by the Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation
Athens, November 29, 2002
Mr. Chairman,
Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am honored to speak to this distinguished audience of the symposium organized by the Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation. Two years ago I promised to Mr. Georgiou to come to his Zappeion Symposium what I am very pleased to address now – after the historic Prague summit.
Allow me to thank the Government of Greece and all the NATO members for the historic decision made in Prague. For the first time in our history we will be part of the most successful collective defense Alliance ever created. Latvians are indebted to many of you for making the dream of - Europe whole and free - come true.
The Prague summit has set a time of great transformation. By inviting seven candidates to join NATO, the Alliance has put the last remnants of the Cold War to rest. The contours of Europe`s continent are being redrawn.
Now I am going to talk about a few issues of post-Prague agenda for NATO countries, Latvia as well as other countries of Euro-Atlantic community.
Firstly, NATO is changing not only through its enlargement process. It is changing to meet the new threats to peace and stability in the world. These were defined on 11th September, when we all watched in disbelief as the forces of evil struck at the democracy that is the NATO pillar. The events of that day and the subsequent terrorist attacks have determined the new role for NATO. Continuing vigilance against these threats in the years ahead will guide the direction that the Alliance takes.
It is important that these threats are addressed together with all of Euro-Atlantic countries. NATO is developing new relationships, and that includes working more closely with non-member partners.
Threats raised by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction influence us all. Should these weapons or technologies fall into the hands of repressive, undemocratic regimes that oppose the principles on which the Trans-Atlantic community is built, the consequences can be disastrous. We should respond resolutely to any attempt of deliberate violation of established non-proliferation regimes, before it is too late. NATO already works on that with non-members.
Currently NATO is facing the following tasks:
- Implementation of all obligations new members have assumed;
- Transformation into more flexible force capable in areas of peripheral Europe;
- Encouraging Russia`s evolution into a state sharing all democratic values;
- Promoting the next redefinition of the Trans-Atlantic community`s geopolitical scope, eventually embracing within it other countries like Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan.
These tasks are defined also by the former National Security Adviser Z. Brezinski. They are imperative to revitalize the Alliance. I share the view by Dr. Brezinski, but these tasks constitute NATO post-Prague agenda only partly.
Secondly, Latvia became more secure than we have ever been since our state was born during the turmoil of the First World War. The invitation to join NATO is the recognition that Latvia has succeeded in turning itself into a Western type liberal democracy. Our success is the success of the liberal democracy. It is an example for other countries that have emerged from the totalitarian regimes. The last decade has been a decade for intensive and hard learning for Latvia. Learning how to use the democratic principles in practice. I think, Latvia has been good in this process of learning, and we have some lessons to share, also in the areas related with NATO membership.
The first lesson is we pretty soon became to realize that it is not just the armed forces that join the Alliance, it is the whole of the country. Military interoperability is a very significant precondition for NATO membership, but those are the political developments that make a country acceptable for NATO as an ally that is worth defending. In the Membership Action Plan Latvia has focused on matters like integration of society, combating corruption, and public information policy.
We are interested that our society supports integration into NATO. Therefore a special attention is paid to the public information activities by the Latvian Transatlantic Organization, which I am representing here.
The second lesson is that membership is a deal of give and take. Through its preparations Latvia has learned to contribute to wider security, which is not a trivial thing for a small country that has just re-established its independence. Since 1996 we have been participating in NATO-led operations in Balkans. Joint Baltic military projects – BALTBAT, BALTNET, BALTRON, BALTDEFCOL – all constitute our contribution to the Alliance.
We have benefited a lot from the “open door” policy providing needed incentives for reform process. It has helped us to carry through reforms that were beneficial for the country per se. This mechanism has to continue to be applied for countries that make a conscious effort towards the membership. These countries contribute to NATO`s policies and operations. Every such effort deserves our support.
Latvia also has worked together with the other candidate countries within the V10 to help each other for the last two years. The countries involved have shared their experience and demonstrated solidarity. I trust that solidarity is going to continue.
NATO and the EU enlargement together will consolidate Europe as a common space of security and prosperity from the Baltics to Balkans and beyond. Our responsibility is to continue with overall European integration process.
The success of the enlargement of NATO and the European Union is crucial for European integration. It will also affect the countries that will join neither of the two organizations soon. These countries are in need of more stability, prosperity and democracy. We - representatives of the democratic societies - should make available our experience of the transition to the democratic societies of free market economy to our neighbors. I feel there is a moral obligation for us to engage actively in promoting democracy, free market, and Rule of Law in countries that will not join NATO and the European Union soon. The promotion of multidirectional integration in Eastern Europe and eastwards is one of our main tasks after the Prague summit. Prospects for a stable Europe are determined by democratic developments in countries of Eastern Europe, particularly Russia, Ukraine, Belarus as well as Caucasian countries Georgia, Azerbaijan and others.
Latvia is ready to prove its solidarity with other nations, like the V10 countries assisted each other to shoulder the burden of preparation for NATO membership. We will continue to cooperate with our V10 partners. Likewise we intend to contribute to vital relationships with other countries that make the Alliance such a dynamic organization. As the reach of Euro-Atlantic interests extends further, Latvia considers that our experience of democratic transformation may be of use to others pursuing similar reforms. We have already consulted Croatia, Macedonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova and others on specific aspects of democratic reforms or on European integration. Continuation of such assistance will be an important part of our policy of outreach after the Prague summit. Given the strategic significance of the Caucuses region we will in particular continue to offer focused advice to Georgia.
In conclusion, let me reiterate that above Post-Prague issues is one moral imperative for us to engage countries that will neither join NATO nor EU soon. To my mind, the promotion of multidirectional integration in Euro-Atlantic community is the main issue after summits of Prague and Copenhagen. The next redefinition of the Trans-Atlantic community`s geopolitical scope should embrace within it other countries like Ukraine, Georgia or other. In such a way, our common values – democracy, market economy, individual liberties will be strengthened. Let`s hope, it is also better understood outside NATO community.
Thank you.
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