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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation NATO/NRC Meetings, Madrid, June 3/4I. NATO-Russia Council (NRC), June 4'Statement: Meeting of the NATO-Russia Council at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Madrid, Spain, Wednesday 4 June 2003'; NATO website, http://www.nato.int. On 28 May 2003, the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) marked its first anniversary. One year ago, the Heads of State and Government of NATO member states and Russia gathered in Rome. Their purpose was to open a new page in their relations, aimed at enhancing their ability to work together in areas of common interest and to stand together against common threats and risks to their security. ... On 4 June 2003, we, the Foreign Ministers of the NATO-Russia Council, met in Madrid. As part of the continuous political dialogue envisioned in the Rome Declaration, Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the contributions of the NRC to Euro-Atlantic security. ... Welcoming the results of the 13 May meeting of the NRC at Ambassadorial level in Moscow - the first-ever meeting of the Council on Russian soil - we noted the substantial progress made in moving forward practical cooperation in all fora of the NRC over the past year in each of the areas of cooperation highlighted in the Rome Declaration: In the struggle against terrorism, we welcomed the agreed detailed threat assessments on the terrorist threat to the Euro-Atlantic area, and looked forward to further work in this field. We expressed confidence that the successful Moscow Conference on the Role of the Military in Combating Terrorism would result in further intensification of NRC cooperation. We also noted encouraging progress in NATO-Russia initiatives for combating terrorism through civil science. ... In non-proliferation, we welcomed the progress achieved to date and looked forward to a joint assessment of the threats posed by the proliferation of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, and their means of delivery, expected later this year. In arms control and confidence-building measures, we noted the assurance of NATO member states that decisions taken by the Alliance at its Summit meeting in Prague are not directed against the security interests of Russia or any other Partner state. We reiterated the goals, principles and commitments contained in the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security, and in the Rome Declaration, which apply to all current and future members of the Alliance. We recalled that NATO's position on providing political assurances of restraint, expressed in these same documents, has not changed. Reaffirming adherence to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) as a cornerstone of European security and reaffirming our determination to fulfill the commitments reflected in the Final Act of the 1999 Conference of the States Parties to the CFE Treaty, and calling upon all States Parties to promote achievement of this shared goal, we agreed to continue to work cooperatively toward ratification by all the States Parties and entry into force of the Agreement on Adaptation of the CFE Treaty, which would permit accession by non-CFE states. We welcomed the approach of those non-CFE countries who have stated their intention to request accession to the adapted CFE Treaty upon its entry into force, and agreed that their accession would provide an important additional contribution to European stability and security. We reiterated our determination to take practical steps to further implement the NATO-Russia Nuclear Experts Consultations Work Plan, with a focus on activities related to nuclear weapons safety and security. In theatre missile defence, we welcomed the progress that has been made in developing a common terminology and conceptual basis for potential future TMD deployments to support a Crisis Response Operation (CRO) involving NATO and Russian forces. We noted an agreement on the first phase of a detailed interoperability study addressing technical requirements and possibilities for co-operation in joint, combined operations. The study, coupled with the agreement to plan and conduct a NATO-Russia TMD Command Post Exercise in the United States, confirms the commitment of the 20 nations to develop practical approaches to working together and enhancing interoperability between Allied and Russian systems. ... In military-to-military cooperation, an essential prerequisite for NATO and Russia to act together on the basis of continuously enhanced interoperability, we welcomed the decision, reflected in the 2003 NRC Work Programme, to intensify NRC cooperation in military training and exercises. We noted the approval by NRC Chiefs of Defence and General Staff at their meeting in Brussels on 13 May of the Conceptual Framework for the development of the four-phase exercise and training programme. We further welcomed the concrete progress achieved to date in advancing NATO-Russia cooperation on logistics, air transport and air-to-air refuelling. In defence reform, we welcomed the results of the Rome Seminar, and the subsequent decision to develop cooperation, inter alia, on a general framework of defence reform and evolution of the military, the management of human and financial resources, managing consequences of defence reform and the reform of defence industries. Noting the fundamental importance of the modernisation and restructuring of armed forces to meet contemporary security threats, we reaffirmed our determination to intensify cooperation in this area, including on macro-economic, financial and social issues of defence reform, so that the members of the NRC might benefit from each other's experience. We noted with satisfaction the practical contributions that have been made by the NATO-Russia Centre for Officer Retraining. ... On new threats and challenges, we welcomed progress made in scientific cooperation and in relation to the challenges of modern society and noted an Action Plan for 2003, which seeks to enhance cooperation in areas such as advanced training in environmental protection, re-use of former military lands, improving the quality of water adjacent to military sites and environmentally friendly industrial technologies. ... II. NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting, June 3'Final Communiqué: [Foreign] Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council Held in Madrid on 3 June 2003', NATO Press Release (2003)059, June 3. Today, we are advancing the vision set out at our Prague Summit of an Alliance transformed, better able to meet 21st century threats and challenges to the security of our populations, territory and forces, from wherever they may come. At Prague, Heads of State and Government members, new capabilities and new relationships with our partners. The process of transformation is now well underway. The North Atlantic Alliance, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law, remains the basis of our collective defence and the essential transatlantic forum for security. The accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to the Alliance will strengthen security for all in the Euro-Atlantic area and reinforce our community of shared values. We are pleased to be joined in Madrid today by our colleagues from these countries. NATO is taking on new operations which meet the common security interests of all Allies. We commend the participation of Allies in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, Afghanistan, and the present role of Germany and The Netherlands as lead nations in the mission. From August, NATO will take the leading role by assuming the strategic coordination, command and control of ISAF. ... The decision to use NATO's assets and capabilities to ensure ISAF's continuity also demonstrates our readiness to support or lead operations and deploy forces, wherever the Alliance decides, to ensure our common security. The Alliance has just recently ended the deployment of surveillance aircraft, missile defence systems and nuclear, biological and chemical protection to defend Turkey against any possible attack by Iraq. NATO also assisted Turkey in preparing for possible humanitarian emergencies. We consulted regularly during the Iraq crisis, including in keeping with the Alliance's role under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. NATO has agreed to Poland's request for support to the role it is taking on this summer in the stabilisation of Iraq. NATO's Military Authorities are working with Polish officials so that the Alliance can assist in meeting their requirements. The North Atlantic Council will review NATO's contribution to the stabilisation efforts on a regular basis. We welcome the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483. Allies stand ready and are examining ways to contribute to its implementation. ... Terrorism continues to pose a grave threat to Alliance populations, forces and territory, as well as to international peace and security. It also poses a threat to the development and functioning of democratic institutions, the territorial integrity of states, and to peaceful relations between them. We express our sympathy for the victims of terrorism. We categorically reject and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and we reiterate our determination to combat this scourge for as long as necessary. We are implementing a military concept for defence against terrorism, improving civil preparedness, and working closely with our Partner countries in this area. Alliance naval forces continue to patrol the Mediterranean, inter alia to help deter terrorist attack against commercial traffic in the Straits of Gibraltar. To fight terrorism effectively, our response must be multifaceted and comprehensive. It will require full implementation of the Prague agenda for NATO's transformation, and continued close cooperation with other international organisations and our Partners. We remain determined to deter, disrupt, defend and protect against any armed attack on us, including terrorist attacks directed from abroad, in accordance with the Washington Treaty and the Charter of the United Nations. Effective, modern military capabilities, contributed by all NATO countries, are essential to enable the Alliance to better carry out the full range of its missions. Recent operations have vividly illustrated the importance of the capability improvements identified as priorities in the Prague Capabilities Commitment (PCC). Progress in developing another Prague initiative, the NATO Response Force (NRF), is on track. At their upcoming meeting, our Defence Colleagues will review the implementation of the PCC and the NRF. They are also expected to agree new, streamlined command arrangements for the Alliance, which will meet the operational requirements for the full range of Alliance missions. We are encouraged by the improvements being made in other important areas, including increased civil preparedness against possible WMD attacks on civilian populations; stronger defence against cyber attacks; and progress in examining options for protecting Alliance territory, forces and population centres against the full range of missile threats in an effective and efficient way through an appropriate mix of political and defence efforts, along with deterrence. Our efforts in this regard will be consistent with the indivisibility of Allied security. The Alliance's policy of support for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation will continue to play a major role in the achievement of the Alliance's security objectives, including preventing the spread and use of WMD and their means of delivery. The Alliance stresses the importance of abiding by and strengthening existing international arms control and disarmament accords and multilateral non-proliferation and export control regimes. In particular, we underline our commitment to reinforcing the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the pre-eminent non-proliferation and disarmament mechanism, and ensuring the full compliance with it by all states party to the Treaty. We will also strengthen our common efforts to safeguard nuclear and radiological material. The role of the WMD Centre, within NATO's International Staff, is being enhanced to assist the work of the Alliance to tackle threats posed by weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. ... The NATO-Russia Council (NRC), in which NATO member states and Russia are working together as equal partners in areas of common interest, continues to make substantial progress, including at a first meeting in Moscow last month. We have developed, inter alia, detailed assessments of the terrorist threat in the Euro-Atlantic area, and made progress in assessing proliferation dangers. We are exploring cooperation in theatre missile defence, and laying the foundations for future peacekeeping cooperation. We are engaged in a broad political dialogue with Russia, which has already included exchanges on areas of common interest. We have launched a far-reaching dialogue on shared challenges in the area of defence reform. We are enhancing cooperation in airspace management and safety, and in the area of civil emergency protection. For the coming year, we have placed emphasis on enhanced military-to-military cooperation, where we have agreed a framework for cooperation in search and rescue at sea, and are looking to a substantial programme of exercises and training. We also look forward to making progress on nuclear confidence-building measures, and on the safe management of nuclear and radiological material. ... We remain committed to the CFE Treaty and reaffirm our attachment to the early entry into force of the Adapted Treaty. The CFE regime provides a fundamental contribution to a more secure and integrated Europe. We welcome the approach of those non-CFE countries, which have stated their intention to request accession to the Adapted CFE Treaty upon its entry into force. Their accession would provide an important additional contribution to European stability and security. We acknowledge Russia's successful effort to reduce its forces in the Treaty's Article V area to agreed levels. We urge swift resolution of the outstanding issues between Russia and Georgia as set out in their Istanbul Joint Statement of 17 November 1999. We welcome the important progress Russia has made in the withdrawal of its forces from Moldova since January and look forward to the fulfilment of this commitment by the end of 2003. We will continue, via the OSCE, to assist in this process. Recognising the progress made, we recall that fulfilment of the remaining Istanbul commitments on Georgia and Moldova will create the conditions for Allies and other States Parties to move forward on ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty. ... We are committed to a broad approach to security and to intensify our efforts to promote effective cooperation with other international or regional organisations. NATO remains the essential forum for consultation among the Allies. We shall be guided by a coherent approach to crises affecting the security of the Euro-Atlantic area stemming from a wide variety of military and non-military risks, making full use of partnership, cooperation and dialogue. In the face of 21st century threats and challenges, effective transatlantic security cooperation remains essential. Through its new operations, new capabilities, new members and evolving political relationships, today's transformed Alliance is demonstrating that Europe and North America are strong and enduring partners in pursuit of our common values, shared security and collective defence. ... © 2003 The Acronym Institute. |