The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) 1The EAPC was established in 1997 and currently consists of a total of 46 nations (19 NATO and 27 partner countries). It provides the overall framework for consultation on political and security matters and for extended cooperation within PfP. and the Partnership for Peace (PfP) 2PfP was established in January 1994 as an element of a closer cooperation between NATO and the partner nations in matters of military and defence policy.form the framework for NATO’s cooperation with non-Alliance countries in Europe and the former Soviet republics in Central Europe and the Caucasus. In NATO’s new Strategic Concept from 1999, this partnership cooperation was identified as a new and important element of the work of promoting security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. For Norway it has been important to support the developments taking place within the framework of the PfP/EAPC, and to involve the partner countries in closer cooperation with the Alliance in the field of security. In 1999 NATO introduced a Membership Action Plan (MAP)3The MAP countries are Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia, as well as Croatia (from 2002).for those partner countries aspiring to membership of the Alliance. The MAP is a plan designed to assist aspirant countries by providing concrete advice and feedback relating to their preparations for membership. Norway’s support for the aspirant countries has been focused on the aims defined through the MAP process.

1.0 Norwegian policy for countries aspiring to NATO membership

The following aspects of Norway’s security policy, based on long-term national interests, have been of pivotal importance to our partnership activities and to the concrete support given to potential new members of the NATO alliance:

• Promotion of security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. As part of the burden-sharing within NATO, Norway has focused especially on Russia and the northern region, including special responsibility, shared with Denmark, for cooperation with the Baltic states.
• Development of a stronger NATO, based on the cornerstone of collective defence, through assisting in the best possible preparation of the aspirant countries for full membership.

Participation in PfP has been, and remains, a prerequisite for future membership of the Alliance and thus constitutes a tool to aid the preparation of the countries concerned as they progress towards full NATO membership. In addition NATO has, through the MAP process, provided the aspirant countries with a range of concrete aims and tasks which will enhance the interoperability of these countries’ armed forces in a NATO context, an important consideration if the enlargement of the Alliance is not to impair its military credibility. The efforts made by the aspirant countries, and their progress in achieving the aims of the MAP process, also provide a good indication of the will, and the ability, of a country to make a substantive contribution towards meeting the new security challenges facing NATO.

As part of the MAP process, aspirant countries produce, in collaboration with NATO, a national plan covering their preparations for NATO membership. Norway has elected largely to give priority to projects in support of these national plans. Given the limited resources available and the requirement for burden sharing within NATO, Norway has also chosen to focus primarily on aspirant countries in its own area, more especially the Baltic States. From a Norwegian viewpoint, it is regarded as particularly important that these countries should be integrated into the security structures of the Euro-Atlantic area. In addition, however, Norway has initiated cooperation of a more limited nature with some of the aspirant countries of Central and South-East Europe.

2.0 Norwegian support for countries aspiring to NATO membership

Of the 10 countries aspiring to NATO membership, Norway has initiated bilateral defence-related cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. From 2003 Norway will also be engaged in formal defence-related cooperation with Slovenia.

The way is also open, under PfP auspices, for all the aspirant countries to participate in courses and seminars offered through the Partnership Work Program (PWP). The courses are intended to promote enhanced interoperability with NATO, thus helping to qualify the countries concerned for eventual NATO membership. All the aspirant countries have been represented on one or more of these courses. Norway offers a range of PWP courses for junior and middle-ranking officers with the emphasis on participation in international operations. In addition to these courses, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence offers PWP courses in budgetary and defence planning and, in the case of certain partner countries, press and information seminars are also arranged with the focus on openness and the media.

In addition to its support for the Baltic States, Norway has devoted almost NOK 8 million annually to PfP-related projects and assisting the aspirant countries with the implementation of their annual national plans.

2.1 Bilateral support for the Baltic States

Norwegian defence-related support to the Baltic States is substantial and wide-ranging. Over the period from 1994 to 2002 the total funding is estimated to amount to NOK 150 million, with NOK 28 million allocated for the current year alone. This support is directed primarily towards helping to qualify the Baltic countries for NATO membership through improvements in these countries’ defence structures.

The annual activities in which Norway is engaged with these countries include political discussions, exercises and the arrangement of courses in fields including live firings, winter warfare training and logistics. In addition Norway assists with advice on a range of topics including, for example, defence planning, personnel administration, logistics and security matters. Two officers from the Baltic countries are currently attending Staff College in Oslo.

In June 2001 Norway transferred six Storm class FPBs to Latvia and Lithunia

• Norway has donated 9 Missile Torpedo Boats (FPBs) including guns and ammunition.
• In January 2003 Norway will hand over HNoMS Vale to Latvia. Norway has contributed substantially to the build-up of the Latvian Navy (4 MTBs and HNoMS Vale as a command vessel).

• Norway has led the work of building a Baltic States Diving Training Centre in Latvia. Norway has also donated equipment and complete diving sets.
• Norway has established a project for the build-up of a Latvian capability in the field of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). Norwegian assistance has taken the form of materiel support for the EOD School and the arrangement and running of 4 EOD courses.
  A Latvian EOD team currently forms part of the Norwegian KFOR contingent in Kosovo.

• Norway has helped to improve personnel management policy in the armed forces of the three Baltic countries through the development and introduction of a ‘spokesman’ system to represent the interests of conscript personnel, a personnel management manual and a reserve officer concept.
• Norway has helped to set up a centre for distance learning to provide improved educational opportunities for reserve officers and NCOs. In addition Norway, jointly with the United States, will take the lead in a new and more comprehensive project for distance learning at a tactical operational and strategic level.

• Norway has seven military advisers and officers appointed to posts in the Baltic countries, the majority in Latvia. Norway’s Defence Attaché for the Baltic States is stationed in Riga. In addition Norway has advisers in post both with the Latvian General Staff and with the Latvian battalion earmarked for BALTBAT 4BALTBAT – Baltic infantry battalion for peacekeeping operations., at the national training centre in Adazi, with the Latvian battalion’s training team and at the Baltic States Diving Training Centre. Norway also has two instructors at the Baltic Staff College in Estonia.

Norway has put forward a proposal for a mentor scheme for invited aspirant countries. The purpose of the scheme is to assist the new member countries with a practical initiation into NATO’s committee structures and methods of working. The Norwegian proposal is now under consideration within NATO and it is probable that Norway will be given responsibility for one of the Baltic States.

2.2 Multilateral support through the Baltic Security Assistance Group (BALTSEA)

BALTSEA was established in 1997, as the result of a Norwegian initiative, as a forum for discussion and coordination of all defence-related support for the Baltic States. The forum consists of 17 countries. Norway holds the chairmanship for the Steering Group in 2002 and 2003 while Denmark holds the chairmanship for the Working Group.

Norway is working to establish several new projects under the BALTSEA umbrella. This work includes a project for host country support with each of the countries, as well as establishment of the centre for distance learning mentioned above.

• BALTBAT – Baltic infantry battalion earmarked for peacekeeping operations. Norway has been an active participant in BALTBAT’s development since its establishment in 1994. A Baltic training team has been set up for the training of the battalion staff with both Norway and the other Nordic countries contributing instructors. Norwegian support has consisted primarily of materiel, ammunition and instructors. Norway’s financial contribution over the period 1995-2002 amounts to approximately NOK 50 million.
• BALTNET – Regional air surveillance and coordination system. Norway has led this project since 1997 and has had particular responsibility for establishing the necessary infrastructure and the radar stations required for the air surveillance system which will give the Baltic countries the capability of exercising surveillance and control of their own collective airspace for both civil and military aviation. The main coordination centre, located in Kaunas, Lithuania, was officially opened on 6 June 2000 and is linked to local nodes in Estonia and Latvia. Norway has now assumed responsibility for the further development of the air surveillance which will quadruple the capacity of the system network. The financial contribution made by Norway over the period 1998 - 2002 amounts to approximately NOK 42 million.
• BALTRON – Joint Baltic Mine Clearance Squadron. The squadron was established in 1998 with a minesweeping and mine clearance capability. The squadron consists of units from the Baltic countries augmented by naval units donated by Germany. Norway has assumed special responsibility for the training of ship’s divers and clearance divers for BALTRON. Norway’s financial contribution over the period 1998 - 2002 amounts to approximately NOK 23 million.
• BALTDEFCOL – Baltic Staff College, established in autumn 1999 in Estonia. The College is run as a joint project between the Baltic countries and a number of assisting countries. Norway’s financial contribution over the period 1999 - 2002 amounts to approximately NOK 12 million.

2.3 Bilateral support to Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria

The bilateral defence-related contact with Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria was initiated during the latter half of the 1990s. Since then, annual plans have been worked out with each of these countries, governing the full range of defence-related activities involved. The annual bilateral activities cover, for example, political discussions, exchange visits and meetings of experts, as well as joint exercises and courses such as those on winter warfare and media training. Advice is also provided in certain areas such as defence planning, personnel administration, host country support and legal questions.

This cooperation has been expanded to embrace new topics of a more operational nature as one aspect of the preparation of these countries for eventual NATO membership.

• Instruction and field training in winter warfare (3 weeks)
• Placement of research workers at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (6 months)
• Negotiations relating to the preparation of security agreements

• Support for the development of a host country support concept.

3.0 Bilateral cooperation with Russia and support for Ukraine

In addition to the support given to countries aspiring to NATO membership, Norway is also engaged in substantial cooperation with Russia, including a range of technical programmes, as well as a somewhat more limited range of cooperative activities with Ukraine.