Dinner Speech to NATO's Secretary General Lord Robertson

Lord Robertson, Your Excellencies,
Distinguished guests

Lord Robertson – it is a great pleasure to welcome you on your first visit to Norway as NATO Secretary General. We congratulate you on your appointment. When your candidature was put forward, we were never in doubt. You possess the qualities to lead NATO into a new millennium. You have a long-time dedication to security and defence, and to transatlantic and European co-operation. We look forward to working closely with you.

Transatlantic solidarity and collective defence - these are the foundations upon which we have safeguarded democracy and built prosperity, in the entire post-war period. At the 50th anniversary Summit in Washington in April, we reconfirmed our commitment to the values we share and on which our societies are founded.

European security is changing. The Alliance will continue to ensure the defence of its members in the evolving security environment. Equally, we will continue to develop NATO as an instrument for security co-operation, stability and peace across a new, undivided Europe. With this Alliance, we look to the future with confidence.

NATO has for fifty years enjoyed broad public support in Norway. I am convinced this will continue to be the case. Norway is located in an area of strategic importance. During the decades of East-West confrontation, we looked to the Alliance to safeguard our security. Now that the Cold War is history, the Alliance continues to be the guarantor of our security. NATO’s presence in the North remains an important factor for peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Mr. Secretary General,

You take office at a time when NATO faces great challenges. The Alliance played a decisive role in supporting the efforts to obtain a political settlement of the crisis in the Balkans. Political solidarity was our most important asset during that crisis.

But while aggression was halted, peace has not yet taken hold. The Balkans will remain a major challenge for years to come, for the international community, as for NATO. We now have an opportunity to help this region become an integral part of the community of democratic nations. We must not rest before the job is done.

Through the Norwegian OSCE Chairmanship this year, we have sought to strengthen the OSCE’s political and humanitarian instruments for the prevention and control of conflicts. The Security Charter, the Istanbul Declaration, and the Platform for Co-operative Security adopted at the OSCE summit are important new instruments to promote European security.

The crisis in Chechnya dominated the OSCE summit. We continue to underline the need for a political solution to the conflict. We underscore the need for Russia to comply with the flank ceilings in the CFE Treaty.

Mr. Secretary General,

Strengthening Europe’s role in security and defence, while at the same time maintaining strong transatlantic links, will be one of your most important tasks. We share this approach. We must do both - build stronger European security and crisis management arrangements, and maintain solid transatlantic relations.

Faced with this same task, one of your predecessors, Lord Carrington, said that he often felt he was left in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where it is ”cold and wet and lonely”. In Britain, and may I add, in Scotland, you know something about Atlantic weather conditions, of course. So do we! We will be with you out there, as you seek the optimal combination of a greater European role and strong links with North America.

This country has a long tradition in promoting international conflict resolution, mediation and peace. We seek a seat in the UN Security Council in 2001-2002 to extend these efforts. Many Norwegian women and men have carried UN Blue Helmets in peacekeeping operations. Today our forces serve along our allies and partners in SFOR and KFOR.

As a major contributor to conflict resolution and peace-keeping, Norway has a strong interest in the development of a common security and foreign policy in the EU and the creation of new political and military structures that is now taking place. We are confident that we will find arrangements for participation that reconcile the needs of the EU 15 and those of the other European allies.

Mr. Secretary General,

With the Partnership for Peace and the EAPC, the NATO-Russia Permanent Council, NATO’s co-operation with the Ukraine and with the Mediterranean countries, as well as the Open Door policy and the Membership Action Plan, we have taken major strides towards building common security in the whole of Europe. Through day to day military co-operation and close consultations, we are building confidence, openness, integration and security.

Russia is an essential partner in building sustainable peace and stability in Europe. Norway is actively engaged in broad co-operative efforts with our neighbour in the high North. With our partners, we work to consolidate democracy and support social and economic development. It is our strong hope that the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections will confirm the Russian people’s clear choice, for democracy and co-operation. We urge Russia to fully exploit the broad scope of NATO-Russia co-operation, as laid down in the Founding Act.

Mr. Secretary General,

We are honoured and pleased to have you with us tonight. You can count on our wholehearted support. I know you will take good care of the fine politico-military fabric which holds this Alliance and our Euro-Atlantic community together.

Let me propose a toast to you, Secretary General, and to our North Atlantic Alliance .