The NATO-Russia Council (NRC)

The Minister’s address was based on the following talking points.

Must be checked against delivery.

 

 ·         Pleased that we are again able to meet. We should use this occasion to put new momentum to the NRC.  The NATO-Russia Council is an important forum for political discussion on security challenges of common interest.

 

·         We have to accept that we disagree on certain points, such as the developments in Georgia and the recognition of the two Georgian breakaway regions. The territorial integrity of Georgia is unquestionable.

 

·         However, and this is my main point: The NRC should be an arena for frank discussions. Disagreements – past, current and future – should not prevent us from having a meaningful and substantial dialogue on issues of importance to the security of all NRC members.

 

·         The significance of our partnership is obvious. We have in common a range of interests – from setting off a positive development in Afghanistan, to cooperation in the High North, from search and rescue operations, to disarmament and arms control.

 

·         As regards the latter, we are encouraged by the negotiations on a post-START agreement, and hope we will soon be able to find a solution for the CFE Treaty.

 

·         We also share a clear interest in fighting piracy off the Somali coast. I believe there are possibilities for concrete cooperation in this field, given that both NATO and Russia have ships in these waters. We should discuss whether Russia and NATO could pool their efforts through Operation Ocean Shield. 

 

·         When thinking about the future – somewhat “out of the box” – one could also possibly envisage that the fight against piracy, or other common security threats, could form the basis for a “first ever” NRC-operation?

 

·         I believe we all agree that we have some way to go in strengthening the NRC, making it more useful to all its participants. The important thing, however, is to start moving ahead, while bearing in mind that the NRC must be an “all weather forum” to be used also when times are difficult.

 

·         To this end, the renewed Russian participation in Operation Active Endeavour and the resumption of the military-to-military cooperation would be important steps.

 

·         We would also have liked to see agreement on a basis for taking the NRC forward. We should task the NRC ambassadors to continue working on this, with the aim of agreeing at our next Ministerial meeting, hopefully in December this year. In this process, all 29 of us will have to make a united effort to ensure that the NRC becomes the valuable political tool it is meant to be. – Thank you.