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<TITLE>Slovakian Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Schenk...The Position of
Central European Countries in the New Security Architecture: A Slovak View</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+4">The Position of Central European Countries in the
New Security Architecture: A Slovak View</FONT></CENTER>
<P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="+3">Slovakian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Juraj Schenk</FONT></P>
<P>The security situation in Central Europe has been both positively and
negatively influenced by the disappearance of the old divisions that
separated Europe into blocs. While the threat of open confrontation
between two inexorable blocs has been reduced to a minimum, there now
exists a probability for new disputes and conflicts, some of which were
hidden and suppressed in the past. </P>
<P>Many of the security risks in Central Europe are the same as those in
other European regions. One point these risks have in common is that
unrecognized or underestimated, they can negatively affect both the
security in the actual region as well as the security in the whole of
Europe. Currently Slovakia is not directly threatened in any military
sense, nor is it a source of instability, nor a threat to any other state
or region in Europe. We have no territorial or border disputes, and we
deal with all potential problems peacefully, through cooperation with our
neighbors, bilateral dialogue, and multilateral consultations.
Good-neighbor relations and regional cooperation are priorities of our
foreign policy. </P>
<CENTER><B>REGIONAL POSITIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS </B></CENTER>
<P>No Great Power currently exists in the area between Germany and Ukraine,
Russia, or Belarus. This territory is home to small or medium-sized
non-nuclear countries with limited strategic minerals and limited
export-oriented transforming economies. Slovakia has five neighbor states.
Of these, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have almost the same
international positions as Slovakia. All of us have concluded the same
agreements concerning association with the European Union, all are active
participants in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) and in the
Partnership for Peace (PFP) program, all cooperate within the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and all cooperate in the
Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the Central European
Initiative (CEI). Austria is the only one of Slovakia's neighbors that has
neutral status but is also a European Union (EU) member. Ukraine has
declared its interest in acquiring neutral status, and is also the only
one of Slovakia's neighbors that is a member of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS), though not integrated into its military
component. </P>
<P>The countries of the Visegrad Four (V4) form a single geopolitical
complex that is interconnected by its members' cultural closeness, common
historical experiences, problems of economic and political transformation,
and the effort to be integrated into Western European and transatlantic
economic and security structures. The Visegrad Four's foreign policy is
clearly oriented toward the EU, NATO, and the Western European Union
(WEU). </P>
<P>At present, there is an historic chance to turn the entire Central
European area into a region of long-term development and stability. This
chance provides great satisfaction, even a feeling of justice, because in
the past Central Europe was seen only as a cordon or buffer zone. </P>
<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+1"><B>SLOVAK POLICIES AND INTERESTS<FONT SIZE="+1"></FONT></B></FONT></CENTER>
<P>Central European countries do not want to be passive consumers of
security. They wish to actively contribute to the reinforcement of
security in the region, and to enact demanding reforms that will create
the right conditions for joining European and Euro-Atlantic security
structures. Strengthening democracy and developing market economies and
common foreign and security policy objectives will create a solid base for
cooperation as well as the achievement of historic unions. For example,
ratification of the Slovak-Hungarian Basic Agreement has already
contributed to regional stability in an essential way. </P>
<P>Slovakia is interested in the maintenance of a balanced policy toward
Central Europe and its individual states. We oppose the creation of new
barriers in the middle of this region. Splitting the relatively compact
complex limited by the V4 countries could have negative psychological,
political, security, and economic impacts on its overall development and
its prospects for the next century. Such a split could divide countries
into more and less prosperous, more and less safe, and stronger and weaker
areas, which, remembering previous divisions, would be very dangerous.
</P>
<P>Because of its size and defense potential, Slovakia is not able to
ensure its security with its own forces. This is why we seek security
guarantees in our integration into European and transatlantic security
structures. We consider the discussion on a European security system a
search for harmony among NATO, EU, WEU, and the OSCE. The results of this
discussion should contribute to the adoption of the existing security
structures and to the establishment of a basic framework for communication
and mutual relations for all security system participants. Slovakia
supports the establishment of a new European security system that will
work to guarantee the complex security of Europe. This system must be
based on the U.N. Charter and on OSCE principles and standards, and must
respect valid international agreements. </P>
<P>We oppose, however, the establishment of new spheres of influence and
new dividing lines in Europe. The existence of several security
organizations within the integrated security area of Europe should not
result in divisions and blocs if these organizations work together in a
transparent, cooperative, and non-antagonistic way. The new security
system should have a pan-European, integrated, and structured character,
and should be built on the complementary activities of: </P>
<UL>
<LI>Collective-defense political and security organizations (NATO, WEU)</LI>
<LI>Cooperating security organizations and structures (OSCE, NACC,
Partnership for Peace)</LI>
<LI>The European Union</LI>
<LI>The Council of Europe</LI>
<LI>The United Nations</LI>
<LI>The Commonwealth of Independent States and the Russian Federation</LI>
<LI>Regional and subregional structures (CEFTA, Central European
Initiative, Baltic Sea Council, Black Sea Council)</LI>
<LI>Bilateral political agreements on good-neighbor relations and
friendly cooperation (Stability Pact in Europe)</LI>
<LI>Multilateral agreements and standards on the control of armaments and
disarming (Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, Missile
Technology Control Regime, Convention Banning Inhuman Weapons,
Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention, Chemical Weapons Convention,
Open Sky Treaty, Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group, Nuclear
Supplier Group, Non-proliferation Treaty, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,
START I, START II)</LI>
<LI>Politically binding documents for the military (Code of Conduct in
the Area of Political and Military Aspects of Security, Confidence and
Security Building Measures-Vienna Documents 1992 and 1994, global
exchange of military information)</LI>
</UL>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">THE NEED FOR CONTINUING MULTILATERAL
COOPERATION</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>Certainly the most crucial role in the European security system will be
held by the extended and transformed NATO and by EU, WEU, and OSCE. We
already see promise of this new security system in the operation now
taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which the Dayton Peace Agreement
is being implemented. NATO, OSCE, EU, U.N., the Council of Europe, and
several non-governmental organizations are all working to maintain the
peace and to build democracy in this former area of conflict. The
effective operation of these organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina
confirms their place and their ability to function in the new European
security system. Further strengthening of the common principles of
cooperation and communication will enable these organizations to work
together even more effectively in future peace operations. </P>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">WORKING TOWARD NATO MEMBERSHIP</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>Slovakia has played a very active role and shared responsibility in
Bosnia-Herzegovina and in IFOR. We are meeting the requirements necessary
for NATO membership, and our Engineering Battalion has successfully
participated in the Sweden-Slovakia United Nations Transitional
Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES)
peacekeeping operation. All of these activities we consider important
steps toward strengthening our cooperation with NATO and toward
full-fledged membership in that organization. </P>
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