- Published: 10.12.2009.
Euro-Atlantic Integration of South East Europe - Implications for International Security and Stability
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Esteemed guests,
It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be here today and to be able to engage in a discussion about matters of significance to all of us –matters of international security and stability.
- At a time when the international community and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are engaged in discussions about President Obama’s new plan for Afghanistan, as well as our responsibilities going forward in the very crucial mission;
- I wanted to take this opportunity to speak to you about another part of the world—South East Europe.
- Not all that long ago, South East Europe was also the focus of NATO’s attention.
- It is no longer the front page news story it once was, but it still requires our attention if it is to keep moving towards an end goal of lasting security, stability and prosperity.
- The same end goal that members of the Alliance are working towards in Afghanistan.
- Enhancing security, stability and prosperity in South East Europe is a responsibility that Croatia shares with our NATO allies and other partners in the Euroatlantic community of nations.
Europe and the United States have mobilised considerable resources to support stability in this region and to support a prosperous, secure and democratic future of South East Europe.
- However, it remains our joint responsibility to complete this process, and to make full use of the potential that the Trans-Atlantic partnership offers.
- A Partnership which embodies pivotal roles for both NATO and the European Union.
- When President Truman signed the North Atlantic Treaty on behalf of the USA, he expressed the goal of its founders in typically simple and straightforward language: “to preserve their present peaceful situation and to protect it in the future”.
- The NATO of today is an alliance able to face new challenges and threats while at the same time fostering partnerships in its efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability.
- It is an Alliance pursuing a dream in partnership with the EU, of a Europe whole, free and at peace.
- A dream that has almost been achieved thanks to the enlargement policies of both NATO and the EU.
- And by keeping that dream alive, by keeping the prospect of membership in the EU and NATO open to all of the countries of South-East Europe, the successes achieved in Western and Central Europe can be repeated in South East Europe.
Ladies and gentleman,
- It is my firm belief that 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain the time has come to lift the curtain on South East Europe, to bring it into the European mainstream.
- Croatia’s first hand experience has shown us we know that the process of ensuring a prosperous, secure and democratic future inside the Euro-Atlantic community can sometimes be long and painful.
- Crucial steps are required and unexpected hurdles often pop up along the way. But, I am proud to say that Croatia has taken those steps and for the most part, cleared those hurdles!
- As a result, in April of this year we succeeded in achieving one of our most important strategic foreign policy goals - membership in NATO.
- Equally important, we have entered the home stretch on our way to the EU with determination to complete our membership negotiations by mid-2010.
Ladies and gentlemen,
- We are committed to fulfilling all necessary reforms and meeting all criteria, especially those related to:
- judicial reforms;
- reform of public administration
- the fight against corruption; and
- cooperation with the ICTY.
- In the early days of our membership in the Alliance, we feel privileged to be taking part in the inclusive and transparent process of drafting NATO’s New Strategic Concept, as well as contributing to the discussions and decisions about the most important challenges we face.
- Over the last 18 years Croatia has undergone an incredible transformation not only in terms of political and economic reforms,
- but most notably in its transition from security recipient,
- to a nation that is now a peace and security provider,
- a nation that contributes to 15 peace missions around the globe.
- However, it is the NATO led ISAF operation in Afghanistan that is at the core of Croatia's international peacekeeping engagement.
- Here and today, I want to emphasize, once again, that Croatia fully supports President Obama’s new strategy for Afghanistan.
- Croatia is committed to strengthening its presence in Afghanistan, which consists of 300 soldiers and is seeking ways to further contribute to NATO's key efforts.
- Building Afghan capabilities is the best way to ensure ownership and a lead role of Afghan institutions in security matters. That is why we attach great importance to it.
- The newly established NATO training mission in Afghanistan will play a crucial role in capacity building of Afghan security institutions. As a concrete contribution to NTM-A, we intend to participate with 2 (two) additional Police mentoring teams (POMLTs) in addition to already operating 3 (three) OMLTs.
- We regard the comprehensive, three-pronged approach of additional military engagement, combined with greater responsibility for the Afghan government and an effective partnership with Pakistan, to be the right way forward.
- Croatia completely shares the view that the desired outcome of our joint mission is to have Afghanistan and Pakistan free of al Qaeda, and for the Government in Kabul to assume responsibility for and ownership of Afghanistan’s future.
- For Croatia, Afghanistan continues to be a long term commitment. We take our NATO obligations very seriously and we will continue to do our part, just as we did before joining the Alliance.
- Equally important, we are committed to continuing our efforts in the development of Afghan civil society, particularly through projects aimed at governance capacity building and human rights.
- To this end we have trained Afghan diplomats at our Diplomatic Academy in Zagreb.
- We have hosted a study visit by Afghan women officials to familiarize them with Croatia’s initiatives in the areas of human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- We have provided basic supplies to orphanages and schools so that hundreds of Afghan children can benefit from warm clothing and thousands from the tools they need in order to learn.
- We have even been teaching female farmers the art of beekeeping as a small step towards agricultural diversification and a step back from opium production.
- These humanitarian initiatives may seem small when compared to what other nations with greater economic means are doing, but given our own experience we recognize that even the smallest of gestures can make a difference.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- The scenario for the future depends on us. We can let it happen, we can make it happen or at the end of the day we can wonder what happened.
- Croatia, in its capacity as a NATO member and an EU member-to-be, is already “on board” in Afghanistan.
- We have also taken over the steering wheel of change in our region, with the intention of driving forward at full speed until reaching our strategic objective of a secure and prosperous neighbourhood in South East Europe.
- And we will spare no effort in accomplishing this ambitious task that we have set for ourselves.
- In that respect, we will do everything possible to further assist our friends from Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, in their pursuit of Euro-Atlantic integration.
- All of these countries have undergone tremendous changes in political, economic and social terms.
- They have reached different stages on their integration path and they continue to move forward, although not always at the expected speeds or desired dynamics.
- Today all of them – except Kosovo – have signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.
- Macedonia is nearing the moment of opening accession negotiations.
- Montenegro and Albania have applied for membership, and Serbia is about to follow.
- As far as NATO’s enlargement is concerned, we look forward to Macedonia becoming a member as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue with Greece has been found.
- Croatia also strongly supports Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina in their NATO aspirations and we were strong proponent of their invitation to MAP.
- And while Montenegro was invited to MAP last week at the NATO ministers meeting, we regret that BiH was not invited.
- Why do we think it’s important for BiH to get a MAP invitation soon?
- The first reason is that BiH’s MAP application has been supported by all three ethnic groups and relevant political parties. If we wait too long, that support may falter – particularly given general elections next year.
- Furthermore, joining MAP may actually help the Butmir process, as various actors in BiH will be encouraged to formulate a unified position on key political issues.
- Finaly, MAP provides the Alliance with a strong mechanism to encourage and influence the reform process.
- In short, we are of the firm opinion that granting MAP will help the stability of BiH and thus the stability of the whole region.
- We believe that NATO’s door should remain open for Serbia too, if and when it decides to move closer to the Alliance.
- All in all, Croatia has a very strong view about the need for South East Europe to remain high on the Alliance’s agenda.
- The Open Door policy is without any doubt one of the most successful policies of the Alliance and as such should also be reflected in the New Strategic Concept of NATO.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- South East Europe still faces serious challenges.
- There are some crucially important political questions that need to be addressed, especially regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
- When it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia as a cosignatory of the Dayton Agreement is deeply concerned with the current situation.
- Unfortunately, B-H is already lagging behind compared to other countries in the region, and we need to keep it on the right track.
- This of course is first and foremost the responsibility of political leaders in BH.
- They need to demonstrate the resoluteness necessary to arrive at compromises.
- However, in order to get there, BH further requires the attention of the international community, including the OHR (Office of the High Representative).
- In our view, the key to a more stable, democratic and prosperous BH lies in the equal position of all three constitutive peoples at all levels of government and, especially, in the decision making process.
- This is of vital interest for Croats in BH, especially since they are the smallest in number and as such the most vulnerable of the three peoples.
- Croatia will continue to advocate this position.
- At the same time we will continue to strongly support all reforms in BH aimed at ensuring a more functional state with a clear perspective of NATO and EU membership.
- We highly appreciate the engagement of the current EU Presidency and the United States in facilitating an agreement on the necessary constitutional changes.
- And we firmly believe that this process must be continued.
- Also of political importance in the region, is the need to intensify our efforts in supporting the Republic of Kosovo.
- A year and a half since its independence, Kosovo has come a long way.
- Nevertheless, major challenges still remain, one of them being that Kosovo is still not participating at important regional meetings.
- Kosovo’s appearance and contribution at these meetings is of crucial importance for stability, security and further development of the region.
- At this moment the focus of attention is turned to the International Court of Justice.
- Together with the US, Croatia is among the countries participating in the oral proceedings before the Court strongly arguing in favour of the legitimacy of Kosovo’s independence.
- Our knowledge and experience in the constitutional organization of the former Yugoslavia give us a specific role in this process.
Ladies and gentlemen,
- Another important issue for Southeast Europe at the moment is achieving sustainable economic growth and development.
- That is why regional co-operation will remain of key importance.
- Croatia is and will be a strong proponent of all regional initiatives, especially the Regional Co-operation Council and the CEFTA-Agreement.
- Those are in our view the best incentives for a sound economic development of the region, as well as its smooth integration into European networks and markets.
- The benefits stemming from regional market integration are well known.
- There is no alternative to free trade and open market.
- This will contribute to sustainable national economies while increasing their ability to cope more efficiently with the consequences of the current economic crisis.
- Finally, efforts are being made to solve open bilateral issues in the region. Croatia will continue to stress the need to solve those issues in the spirit of partnership and good-neighbourly relations, based on international law.
- Because, regardless of their nature, no open issue should be used to prevent the progress of any country of the region on the path to membership in the EU and NATO.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- A few months ago in Sarajevo, Vice President Biden rightly pointed out that, letting go of the past and embracing the future is a daily struggle, and much effort still needs to be invested not to fall back on old patterns and animosities.
- Trans-Atlantic partners assumed joint responsibility for putting South East Europe on its path to peace, stability and security, they extended a hand to our region when we needed it most and we grasped it.
- Today, we continue to seize the opportunity of transforming South-East Europe into an undivided, democratic and stable area, in which all countries can be given a chance to prosper.
- This is what Croatia is committed to;
- This is what we are striving for in our own neighbourhood and
- This is the future that we hope awaits the good people of Afghanistan as well.
Thank you