Information and Public Relations Directorate
E-mail: presamapn@mapn.ro
Contact: 021-319.60.22
George Cristian Maior, chief of Department for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Defense Policy participated Monday June 30, 03 to the opening session of the international seminar NATO/EAPC '' REGIONAL APPROACHES OF NEW RISKS TOWARDS SECURITY'' developed in Bucharest under NATO/EAPC aegis.
During the first part of his speech, George Cristian Maior reminded "two weeks ago, NATO ministerial meetings in Madrid and Brussels enlisted the format of the Alliance transformation established in Prague through the important decisions adopted for improving the capabilities, strategies and relations with the partners. There were discussed the ways for counteracting the new risks and threats towards the global security from the perspective of the new missions and engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq".
He also stated ''the destructive potential of the combination between the threats as international terrorism, failed states emergence, drug, crime, proliferation of mass destruction weapons can be counter- acted by developing an effective inter agencies cooperation network. Now we have new mechanisms -Counter-terrorism Partnership Action Plan and Individual Action Plans - open to the future develops and substantial contributions of the participating states. In this context, the present conference can be seen as a vehicle in advancing and drawing the new ideas, concepts and projects in this areas".
State Secretary Maior brought into attention three important questions: ''What is the role of EAPC in the present context of security? What is the interest value of the regional cooperation? What are the next steps in NATO/EAPC process of transformation?"
Developing the issues, Maior suggested ''three important determinants that can be a substantial part of the today's discussions.
First of all, the Partnership must give flexibility in promoting the necessities specific to the states from Caucasus, Central Asia and South East of Europe and in responding to the different levels and perceptions of the risks towards security in these areas.
Secondly, according to the enlargement and transformation of the concept of security and regional security, PfP and EAPC could develop in an increased framework of cooperation between different national agencies and structures able to respond to the new requires in countering the terrorism, improving the security of borders, and counter proliferation means. This approach would suggest a step by step open of the mechanisms of cooperation and a move of successes in defense area towards other structures of national systems.
Having in view that the Partnership represented a launching platform for the new NATO members, the invites from Prague could redefine their role in PfP/EAPC by promoting a more effective support for the reform in the security domain of the participating states and for improving the contribution of the partners to NATO's new missions in Afghanistan or Iraq".
In conclusion, State Secretary Maior stated '' a re-vitalized Partnership is an intrinsic compound of the new approaches on regional security. This seminar is a prove for the dialogue within the Euro-Atlantic Partnership as adequate to the evolutions of the Alliance and global security. Thus, I am convinced t the reunion will advance productive and relevant suggestions for our future cooperation on security".
NATO and EAPC representatives, officials from Romanian institutions with responsibilities in NATO are participating to this seminar. Edgar Buckley, deputy general secretary of NATO, heads the Alliance's delegation for defense policy and operations.
Dep. for Euro-Atlantic Integration
and Defense Policy