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<TITLE>Czech Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra...NATO and the Future
Security of Central Europe: A Czech Perspective</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+4">NATO and the Future Security of Central Europe: A
Czech Perspective</FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+3">First Vice Minister Alexandr Vondra</FONT><FONT SIZE="+2">
</FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><I><FONT SIZE="+1">Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech
Republic</FONT></I></CENTER>
<P>The strategic importance of Central Europe is evident in the fact that
three of the last four NATO Workshops have been held in this region: in
Budapest in '93, Dresden in '95, and in Warsaw today; we also hope that
the next Workshop will be held in Prague in '97. Central Europe is a
traditional crossroads of various interests, influences, and European
powers. We can see this in every step we take as we walk through this
great city of Warsaw. </P>
<P>In the past, the temptation to fill the vacuum in Central Europe has
brought about various conflicts. Remembering these conflicts, there can be
no doubt that stability in Central Europe is fundamentally linked with the
stability of Europe as a whole. Three years ago I told the NATO Workshop
that NATO will need its center flank. I am still convinced that the best
way to achieve this stable flank is to anchor it securely to NATO. </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">THE NEED FOR NATO</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>I and my fellow countrymen are certain that NATO is the backbone of
stability, security, and decency in Europe. But even more, NATO is the
guarantee of a U.S. presence in Europe, which, from a Central European
perspective, is still greatly needed. The process of European integration
is well developed but not yet finished. </P>
<P>NATO is also an important instrument for fighting all tendencies toward
defense renationalization. And it is the only organization that is capable
of acting successfully out of area and that can adapt itself to the new
post-Cold War conditions in Europe. </P>
<P>The results of this adaptation are already visible. First, there is the
success of IFOR and the military implementation of the Dayton Agreement.
Second, there is the result of the NAC meeting in Berlin on the
implementation of the Combined Joint Task Force, and the decision to build
a European element inside NATO and under NAC authority. Last but not
least, there is France's recent decision to return to the integrated
structure. </P>
<P>Along with this internal adaptation, NATO is also undergoing external
adaptation-enlargement and establishment of relations with countries that
will not become members in the first round. Yet with all of these reforms,
NATO must remain a collective defense alliance. Common defense and Article
V must remain our core functions. </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">THE NEED FOR ENLARGEMENT</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>There has been some debate on the costs and burdens of enlargement, and
no doubt there will be some costs for members and especially for those who
join. However, I think this is an issue that can be solved. In fact, I
believe the RAND Corporation has some proposals on the problem for us to
study. My assessment is that the price need not be so high in the short
run. </P>
<P>But while there will be some costs, we must remember that collective
defense is definitely cheaper than guaranteeing defense on one's own. For
example, for the 1,000 Czech soldiers who are participating in IFOR,
working with Canadian and British personnel in Bosnia, the cost is 1.5
billion Czech crowns per year. An entire squadron of F-16's would cost 4
or 5 billion crowns. If the Czech Republic is ready to pay for its share
of the costs in Bosnia, it must be even more ready to pay for the security
of its own territory. </P>
<P>I am convinced that any further delay in NATO enlargement would mean not
only loss of our credibility but also resignation of our principle of
political solidarity in Europe. European integration is based on such
solidarity, and enlargement would be NATO's best contribution to
integration and its final success. </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+1">CZECH PLANS FOR JOINING NATO</FONT></B></CENTER>
<P>The Czech position on joining NATO has not changed. We still wish to
become full-fledged members as soon as possible-in the political as well
as the integrated military structures-with all rights and obligations. The
results of our Parliamentary elections three weeks ago did not change our
intention in any way. And a government proclamation that has just been
prepared offers the chance to receive an even stronger mandate on this
issue. </P>
<P>So what are our next steps- We want, of course, to keep the momentum in
our intensified individual dialogue with NATO. We expect that the North
Atlantic Council will evaluate this dialogue in December '96, and decide
about the NATO Summit in the spring of '97. </P>
<P>We also expect that the Summit will decide who will be invited to the
pre-accession talks. We believe that the Czech Republic will be among
those invited. The pre-accession talks could be concluded in '98, and we
will be prepared to sign the protocol no later than '98 or '99. This will
be an excellent time since NATO will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.
</P>
<P>Our homework in the meantime will be, first and foremost, to maintain
political stability and economic growth, to keep the momentum of our
individual NATO dialogue, and to cooperate with PFP and NACC. Our military
will need to implement all standardization agreements (STANAG's) into
everyday reality, and to increase the military budget. These priorities
are generally good ones, because we have solid, stable, 5% GDP growth.
Last but not least, we will also try to persuade all 16 NATO governments
and parliaments that we are a reliable Partner. </P>
<P>General Joulwan said that through Partnership for Peace we are becoming
good friends. I believe we are not far from the moment when we will also
be good Allies. </P>
<P><A HREF="Vondra.htm">Go to top of page</A> <BR><A HREF="Workshop96.htm">Return to Warsaw '96</A> <BR><A HREF="../index.html">Return to Home Page</A> </P>
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