Distinguished colleagues,

It is my pleasure to speak here today at this gathering of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.  As President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, I can assure you that we recognize the value of the EAPC and look forward to deepening our collaboration with you.  We are working together to hold our next Rose-Roth Seminar in Kazakhstan in conjunction with the EAPC Security Forum.  It is just one example of how we can work together to bring the right mix of people to the table to tackle some of the complex security questions we all face.

I would like to touch on a few issues that I hope will spark a discussion.  First, I would like to discuss the role of parliamentarians in building NATO partnerships.  Second, I would like to address some of the main challenges facing the Alliance, and third, I would like to emphasize the need for a new Strategic Concept and what parliaments can do to assist the development of a Strategic Concept more tailored to today’s - and tomorrow’s - challenges.

Parliamentarians play a distinct role in building NATO partnerships and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is a critical actor in this area.  Starting at the very end of Cold War, the Assembly reached out to the newly democratic states of Central and Eastern Europe to help them put in place measures aimed at ensuring civilian control of the security sector and other aspects of legislative oversight.  Our outreach activities became known as the “Rose-Roth Programme” in recognition of US Congressman Charlie Rose and US Senator Bill Roth who helped to obtain the resources that turned a good idea into a sustainable programme.

The first seminar took place in Vilnius in 1991.  The seventieth has just taken place in Sarajevo.

The program’s longevity is a sign of its success.  So is the fact that some of the first beneficiaries of this program in Central and Eastern Europe are now among the leaders in our outreach programmes to the Balkans, the Caucasus, and elsewhere.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s commitment to partnership has broadly reflected the extension of NATO’s cooperative network.  This includes the Southern Mediterranean and Gulf Region.  We have also developed relationships with the parliaments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan.  We are also trying to use the Assembly as a means of building contacts between the parliaments of these two nations.

Afghanistan  is, as you would expect, a central theme within the Assembly.  It is vitally important to bring stability and security to Afghanistan.  Important not just to NATO but to all those nations and organizations involved in building a better future for the Afghan people.

Many NATO partners are involved in that effort and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and participation.  It is not an easy mission, nor will it be finished soon.  But it is necessary.  We must live up to the commitment we have made to the Afghan people.  Our role is to provide them with an environment that makes political and economic development possible, and to train Afghanistan ’s security forces to provide for the nation’s security.  But ultimately, the future of that country is in the hands of the Afghan people and their elected leaders.

It is difficult to discuss the operation in Afghanistan without mentioning the problems posed by narcotics production in that country.  We all are aware of the statistics and Afghanistan ’s unfortunate leading role in opium production.  We spend a lot of time discussing how to reduce opium production in Afghanistan.  But maybe we need to turn the question around and consider what we can do to reduce demand for narcotics in our own countries.

Afghan farmers cultivate opium poppies because there is demand for illegal narcotics. If we could only reduce the number of addicts in each of our countries, the demand would fall, the price would fall, and opium cultivation would be far less of an issue.  The criminals and terrorists who profit from narcotics trafficking would lose, while everyone else would gain.  Our streets would be safer, our social services less stressed and Afghanistan would undoubtedly be better off. 

I use this as an example of cooperation because it shows how the concept of security is interwoven with so many other issues.  Meetings like this are an exceptional opportunity to put our heads together and think about what can be done to cooperatively meet some of the challenges we face.

As we move forward, we must have broad agreement on the outlines of our strategic direction.  This is why the NATO Parliamentary Assembly believes a new Strategic Concept is necessary for the Alliance.  I am pleased that the members of the Alliance adopted a Declaration on Alliance Security just a few days ago at NATO’s 60^th anniversary summit, but this is only an interim step.  It is important to recall that NATO’s current Strategic Concept was approved in 1999.  The current threats to the Alliance and the range of missions it is now performing were not even under consideration then. The world has changed dramatically in the past 10 years and the Alliance must adapt – and be seen to adapt - if it is to remain relevant and maintain all-important public support.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly wants to contribute to the process of preparing a new Strategic Concept, and we believe that our contribution will be an important one.  It is already taking shape in an effort involving all our members, and I would like to highlight some of the main features. Much of it is relevant to NATO’s partners.

First, let me outline the process.  We appointed Jan Petersen, a long-standing Assembly member and former Norwegian Foreign Minister, to develop a draft based on input from each of the Assembly’s five committees.  This draft is being updated and modified at successive meetings.

At these meetings, our partner delegations have the right to voice their concerns, make their suggestions and add their comments.  I mention this because for many of the countries represented at this table, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly provides an environment where you can have input on the shape of the NATO parliamentarians’ vision of a new Strategic Concept.

As I said, Mr Petersen’s draft is being constantly revised, but I would like to give you the broad outlines that I believe will remain constant. 

First, there is a need to balance the Alliance ’s commitment to territorial defence and its commitment to provide security in the broader environment.  NATO has made a collective decision to provide security assistance in distant regions because that is rightfully seen as a way to improve the security of its members.  But at the same time, we cannot forget that the Article V commitment to the common defence of national territory is the cornerstone of the Alliance. 

Second, NATO must define how it can make a substantial contribution to emerging security issues.  There is a wide range of issues that can be cited: energy security, environmental concerns, cyberspace security just to name a few.  But the critical question is what should NATO do?  What is the proper role of this Alliance and how can we address those emerging security concerns together?  We also need to consider how development issues factor into the security equation. This is what is often referred to as the “comprehensive approach” and it inherently involves non-military tools.  Putting the pieces of this puzzle together will be a challenge to say the least.

Third, complex questions such as these can only be addressed in concert with a broad range of partnerships.  NATO will have to engage closely through such venues as the EAPC, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative and the Mediterranean Dialogue.  The Alliance will have to explore enhanced cooperation with its neighbours as well as more distant countries, and a variety of international organizations, each with their own particular roles.

It will be some time before the new Strategic Concept is finalized, but I wanted to let you know that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is moving ahead to assist in this important step forward for the Alliance.  As we finalize our contribution, we will remain open to the suggestions and comments of our Associate Members, many of whom are represented around this table.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to see so many individuals from so many countries here today.  It is an unmistakable sign that there is a mutual recognition of the need to extend and deepen NATO’s partnerships.  We may not always agree, and in fact meetings such as this provide an opportunity to air disagreements.  But only by allowing for a free exchange of views can we move closer to a common understanding of the security challenges we face and how we should meet them.  I thank all of you for your participation in this event and I look forward to a frank and engaging discussion.

______________ENDS_______________