Press
Release
M-NAC-
1(2002)59
14 May 2002
|
Final
Communiqué
Ministerial
Meeting of the North Atlantic Council
Held In Reykjavik on 14 May 2002
- Since 11 September, NATO has acted on its core commitments
to deter and defend against any threat of aggression against
any NATO member state, as provided for in Articles 5 and 6
of the Washington Treaty. Our countries are contributing,
as individual Allies, to the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
The Alliance and its members are playing their full part in
the current campaign against terror, confirming NATO's key
role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security, including in the
face of new threats. The Alliance, which embodies the transatlantic
link that binds North America and Europe in a unique defence
and security partnership, must, and will continue to adapt
itself, to be better able to perform its fundamental security
tasks and to strengthen security right across the Euro-Atlantic
area. We will intensify our consultations on this process
of adaptation, looking to the meeting of our Heads of State
and Government in Prague in November to mark a decisive step
forward in achieving this objective.
- In preparation for the Prague Summit, we have today given
guidance on the development of vital new capabilities, on
the process of NATO enlargement, on the creation of a new
security relationship with Russia, as well as on the development
of our relationships with Ukraine and all other Partners.
We have also re-affirmed NATO's commitment to a peaceful,
stable and democratic South-East Europe, and to the development
of close and effective relations between NATO and the European
Union.
- We reiterate our determination to combat the threat of terrorism
for as long as necessary. There is no justification whatsoever
for terrorist actions. In keeping with our obligations under
the Washington Treaty we will continue to strengthen our national
and collective capacities to protect our populations, territory
and forces from any armed attack, including terrorist attack,
directed from abroad. We recognised this challenge in the
Strategic Concept adopted at the 1999 Washington Summit, where
we made clear that any armed attack on the territory of the
Allies, from whatever direction, would be covered by Article
5 of the Washington Treaty and where we singled out terrorism
as a risk to the security interests of the Alliance. Meeting
this challenge is fundamental to our security. Actions taken
to meet this challenge will be in accordance with our decisions
and in full compliance with all our commitments under international
law and relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter
and national legislation.
- Our countries are also working together to deal with the
threat posed by possible use of weapons of mass destruction
(WMD), including their possible use by terrorists, and the
means of their delivery. Disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation
make an essential contribution to preventing the use of WMD,
along with deterrence and defence. The Alliance is working
on proposals to develop critical defences against biological
and chemical weapons. We also attach importance to reinforcing
the role of the NATO WMD Centre within the International Staff.
We will also enhance our ability, through working on all possible
options, to provide support, when requested, to national authorities
for the protection of civilian populations against the effects
of any terrorist attack, and are cooperating with our Partners
in this field, taking into account the various proposals and
initiatives put forward. We are exploring the scope for enhancing
cooperation with the European Union in this field. Together
with our Defence colleagues, we are developing a package of
proposals to be in place for the Prague Summit, to strengthen
these capacities.
- To carry out the full range of its missions, NATO must be
able to field forces that can move quickly to wherever they
are needed, sustain operations over distance and time, and
achieve their objectives. This will require the development
of new and balanced capabilities within the Alliance, including
strategic lift and modern strike capabilities, so that NATO
can more effectively respond collectively to any threat of
aggression against a member state. We look forward to decisions
by Defence Ministers on specific recommendations for the development
of new capabilities, for approval by Heads of State and Government
at the Prague Summit.
- At their Prague Summit in November this year, our Heads
of State and Government will launch the next round of NATO
enlargement. This will confirm the Alliance's commitment to
remain open to new members, and enhance security in the Euro-Atlantic
area. We received today a Consolidated Progress Report on
the results of the third cycle of the Membership Action Plan
(MAP). We congratulate all aspirants on the significant progress
they have made thus far towards achieving their objectives
in the MAP. Heads of State and Government will expect invitees
to have demonstrated a commitment to the basic principles
and values set out in the Washington Treaty, the capability
to contribute to collective defence and the Alliance's full
range of missions, a firm commitment to contribute to stability
and security, especially in regions of crisis and conflict,
and to be willing and able to assume the responsibilities
of membership. We encourage all aspirants to intensify their
efforts in the coming months and to continue them not only
up to Prague but also in the years ahead.
- We commit ourselves to continuing to work with the aspirants
to help them make sufficient progress to be invited to begin
accession negotiations at Prague. The 2002-2003 cycle of the
MAP, which we launched today to conclude in Spring 2003, will
include all the present participants, and be tailored to their
individual requirements. We look forward to submission of
individual Annual National Programmes in the Autumn. After
Prague, the MAP will continue to serve both aspirants and
those countries invited to begin accession talks with the
Alliance.
- As at Madrid, our goal is that all invitees should accede
on a common date before the next Summit. After Prague, we
will expect invited countries to continue to participate in
the MAP. The accession process will take into account work
conducted under the MAP, and the MAP will be used to help
the integration of invitees into Alliance structures. During
accession talks and on the basis of an invitee's Annual National
Programme, the NATO Expert Team, on the basis of political
guidance to be elaborated, will discuss with individual invitees
specific issues and reforms upon which further progress will
be expected before and after accession in order to enhance
their contribution to the Alliance. These will be drawn from
existing MAP objectives, Partnership Goals and other issues
identified by Allies and those associated with military integration
identified by the NATO Military Authorities. A timetable for
the completion of these reforms should be established, including
for those that are unlikely to be realised until after accession.
This timetable should be reflected within a revised Annual
National Programme. We look forward to the commitments that
invitees will make as part of this process. We look forward
to signing the individual accession protocols not later than
our meeting in Spring of 2003. Invitees will participate in
subsequent MAP cycles until the ratification process has been
completed.
- We commend Croatia on the progress it has made in its reform
efforts, making full use of the options offered by Partnership
for Peace (PfP), the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
and the Intensified Dialogue. We expect Croatia to continue
to contribute to stability in the Balkans. We welcome Croatia's
participation in the MAP and invite Croatia to present its
first Annual National Programme in the Autumn and look forward
to reviewing Croatia's progress at our meeting next Spring.
- NATO is undertaking internal preparations to ensure its
readiness to accept new members. We direct the Council in
Permanent Session to prepare a comprehensive report on the
relevant factors associated with decisions on enlargement
for consideration by Heads of State and Government in Prague.
This work will be conducted in keeping with political guidance
provided by the Council and will not create any preconditions
or decisions on new members.
- We welcome the decisive and substantial deepening of the
NATO-Russia relationship, which marks an historic step towards
the Alliance's long-standing goal of building a secure, cooperative
and democratic Euro-Atlantic area. We look forward to the
approval this afternoon by the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint
Council of the document on the creation of the NATO-Russia
Council, where NATO member states and Russia will work as
equal partners in areas of common interest, while preserving
NATO's prerogative to act independently. The document will
be adopted and signed at the inaugural session of the Council,
to be held at a Summit meeting of Heads of State and Government
in Rome on 28 May. We are confident that the creation of the
Council will lend new impetus and substance to our partnership
with Russia, and make a substantial contribution to our common
goal of a stable, peaceful and undivided Europe, as enshrined
in the NATO-Russia Founding Act. A NATO-Russia Council meeting
at the level of Heads of State and Government in Prague would
offer an opportunity to take stock of our new relationship.
- We support Russia's right to protect her territorial integrity,
and recognise her responsibility to protect all her citizens
against terrorism and criminality. We urge Russia to find
a prompt and lasting political and peaceful resolution to
the conflict in Chechnya, and to respect and protect the human
and legal rights of the population. We call on the Chechen
side to cooperate in good faith in seeking a political solution
to the conflict, to condemn terrorism and to take action against
it.
- We note Ukraine's strong determination to pursue full Euro-Atlantic
integration. We continue to encourage Ukraine to implement
the reforms required to achieve this objective and stand ready
to continue to assist it in this regard. In that context,
we have decided to give new impetus and substance to our partnership
with Ukraine. To that end, we have tasked the Council in Permanent
Session to develop new mechanisms and modalities that build
on the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership and bring our
relationship to a qualitatively new level. We expect to deepen
and expand our relationship, including through intensified
consultations and cooperation on political, economic and defence
issues. In this context, Allies look forward to a meeting
of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, at the level of Heads of State
and Government, at the Prague Summit.
- Since 11 September, the important contribution made by
NATO's Partnerships to Euro-Atlantic security has been confirmed
and reinforced. We look forward to a new, more substantive
relationship with Partners, which intensifies our cooperation
in responding to new security challenges, including terrorism.
In light of the changing security environment, the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council and Partnership for Peace are adapting
to remain valuable and effective. We have tasked the Council
in Permanent Session to continue reviewing our Partnerships,
with a view to presenting our Heads of State and Government
at Prague with concrete proposals for further developing the
EAPC and PfP to better serve Allies and Partners in addressing
the challenges of the 21st century. We look forward to the
meeting of the EAPC at the level of Heads of State and Government
in Prague.
- We have decided to upgrade the political and practical
dimensions of our Mediterranean Dialogue, including by consulting
with Mediterranean partners on security matters of common
concern, including terrorism-related issues, as appropriate.
These efforts will aim to bring our Mediterranean partners
even closer to NATO, and give fresh impetus to the Dialogue
by the Prague Summit.
- We reaffirm our commitment to achieving a close, transparent
and coherent NATO-EU relationship. Our joint efforts in the
Balkans have furthered the achievement of peace and stability
in that region and shown that close cooperation brings considerable
benefits. The events of 11 September have underlined the importance
of enhanced cooperation between the two organisations on questions
of common interest relating to security, defence, and crisis
management, so that crises would be met with the most appropriate
military response and effective crisis management ensured.
Important work remains to be done on the arrangements for
NATO support to EU-led operations, in accordance with the
decisions taken at the 1999 NATO Washington Summit and subsequent
Ministerial meetings. We remain determined to make progress
on all the various aspects of our relationship, noting the
need to find solutions satisfactory to all Allies on the issue
of participation by non-EU European Allies. We welcome recent
progress towards finalising EU modalities for consultation
with Canada and for its participation in EU-led operations.
- We reiterate our commitment to a peaceful, stable, and
democratic South-East Europe, and reaffirm our support for
the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all the countries
in the region. The continued presence of NATO-led forces demonstrates
and embodies our determination to oppose all violence whether
ethnically, politically or criminally motivated, and to strengthen
peace, tolerance, the rule of law and democratic institutions
in the region. Working together with our Partners in SFOR
and KFOR and with other international institutions, we will
continue to promote regional reconciliation and cooperation,
protection of rights of members of all ethnic groups and minorities,
confidence-building measures and a lasting solution to the
problem of refugees and displaced persons. We remain actively
engaged in the field of border security and smuggling interdiction
operations and reaffirm the importance of a wider regional
approach to these issues.
- In light of the progress achieved towards a lasting and
self-sustaining peace, we have reviewed the status of NATO's
operations in the Balkans. Our Defence colleagues will review
the implementation of force restructuring which takes into
account a more regional approach and aims at rationalising
NATO's military presence, as civilian authorities increasingly
take up their responsibilities. Full cooperation with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) remains a priority. All persons indicted for war crimes
by the ICTY must be brought to justice in The Hague.
- We remain determined to further support efforts towards
security and stability in the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia (1). NATO continues
to contribute to security by providing support for the EU
and OSCE monitors through the presence of Task Force Fox.
We are encouraged by progress in the implementation of the
Ohrid Framework Agreement and emphasise that the passing of
remaining legislation related to the Agreement and the holding
of free and fair general elections in September will together
constitute important steps towards peace and stability.
- We remain committed to a self-sustaining peace in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, in full accordance with the principles of
the General Framework Agreement, and call on the local authorities
in the country to take on greater responsibility for and ownership
of the process of implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement.
We strongly endorse the respective efforts of SFOR and the
ICTY to detain and bring to trial persons indicted for war
crimes. In this context, we reiterate that the Entities carry
primary responsibility for bringing to justice persons indicted
for war crimes, and urge them to cooperate more effectively
with SFOR to this end. We look forward to the general elections
this Autumn as an important step towards a single, multi-ethnic,
and democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- We look forward to further developing the Alliance's relations
with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), and expect
swift implementation of the agreement that has been reached
between Serbia and Montenegro in redefining their relationship.
We welcome the FRY's interest in joining PfP and look forward
to working with the FRY leadership in achieving the progress
necessary to enable participation in PfP. Full and continued
cooperation with ICTY, democratic reform and control of the
military, as well as full and transparent implementation of
the Dayton Peace Agreement, are essential to a deeper relationship
with the Alliance.
- With regard to Kosovo, we reaffirm our commitment to the
full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution
1244, and welcome the establishment of provisional institutions
of self-government which include representatives of all communities.
We call on the provisional institutions and community leaders
to assume their responsibilities and fully cooperate with
UNMIK, KFOR and the international community to promote a peaceful,
multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and democratic Kosovo. We look
forward to the local elections in Kosovo this Autumn as another
important step towards a peaceful, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural
and democratic Kosovo, where all its people, irrespective
of ethnic origin or religion, can live in peace and security
and enjoy universal human rights and freedoms on an equal
basis, including through participation in democratic institutions.
- 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. We
will continue to work together to adapt the Alliance's comprehensive
strategy to meet the threats posed by the proliferation of
WMD and their means of delivery, adopting an appropriate mix
of political and defence efforts. Our efforts to that end
should be consistent with the indivisibility of Allied security.
The Alliance stresses the importance of abiding by and strengthening
existing multilateral non-proliferation and export control
regimes and international arms control and disarmament accords.
We will continue to actively contribute to the development
of agreements and measures in this field and pursue further
arms reductions, transparency and confidence and security
building measures. In that context, we welcome the U.S.-Russian
agreement to sign a treaty to reduce deployed strategic nuclear
warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200. We reaffirm our determination
to contribute to the implementation of the conclusions of
the 2000 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
and welcome the full discussion of issues at the Preparatory
Conference for the 2005 Review Conference in April 2002. We
also support ongoing efforts to achieve an International Code
of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation before
the end of 2002. Arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation,
along with deterrence and defence play an essential role in
enhancing security against these new threats and challenges.
In this context, the role that missile defence could play
is being actively considered as we continue our consultations
with the United States on this issue. In this regard, we welcome
continued work at NATO on theatre missile defence.
- Concerning the CFE Treaty, we welcome the Russian Federation's
December declaration that it is now within agreed levels of
armament and equipment. We encourage Russia to enhance its
cooperation with NATO to facilitate our efforts to verify
this claim as soon as possible. However, we can envisage ratification
of the adapted CFE Treaty only in the context of full compliance
by all States Parties with agreed Treaty limits and consistent
with the commitments contained in the CFE Final Act. We urge
a swift resolution of outstanding issues relating to Istanbul
commitments, including on Georgia and Moldova. Recognising
the contributions of the CFE Treaty to European security and
stability, we recall that the entry into force of the adapted
CFE Treaty would permit accession by non-CFE States. We welcome
the entry into force of the Open Skies Treaty on 1 January
2002.
- We express our deep appreciation to the Government of Iceland
for hosting this meeting.
- Turkey
recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional
name.
|