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<CENTER><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+3">Welcoming
Remarks</FONT></FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+2"></FONT></FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+2">Minister
of Defense of the Czech Republic Miloslav Vyborny</FONT></FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<P><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000">I am pleased to be able to
address you on this special occasion here in the historic Spanish Hall at
Prague Castle. I believe that, in a way, this is symbolic. Even though we
are meeting in Prague, our deliberations take place in the Spanish Hall.
Some of you will soon be attending talks in the Spanish capital, and among
other issues, your agenda will also include the Czech Republic. This fact
aptly illustrates the common roots of our civilization. Roots that grow
out of the past and draw on shared values.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000">Europe has never been a
problem-free continent. In spite of its unifying wealth of culture and
ideas, Europe has always been characterized by considerable diversity and
multiplicity. On some occasions, Europe's multiplicity and diversity
proved to be the sources of its strength, at other times of its weakness.
Twice in this century, this multiplicity and diversity happened to be the
source of trouble which resulted in the world war.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000">The experience of this
century's destructive wars has been a lesson to Europeans, showing them
that this European diversity and multiplicity may reflect the true
substance of Europe only when respecting two elementary
principles--democracy and tolerance. This idea has given rise to the
principle of European integration whose main motto is precisely "unity
in diversity." This has been accompanied by the awareness that
neither Europe nor the United States of America should lead their separate
lives. And this recognition found its expression in the establishment of
NATO. The creation of the North Atlantic Alliance has linked Europe with
the United States of America and Canada in an organization built
politically on the principles of democracy, tolerance and dialogue, and
militarily on its convincing capability of defending the principles of
democracy swiftly and efficiently in case of emergency. For the first time
in its history, Europe has been given an organization which has--in
practical terms--succeeded in enhancing stability and promoting democracy.
Even since the end of the Cold War, these very values on which the
Alliance was built, have proved to be viable. This was true even at a time
when Europe seemed to be standing at the crossroads of its future
developments, deciding whether to proceed along one of two diverging
paths: either treading the road of democratic integration, espoused by
most countries of Central and Eastern Europe through their call for a "return
to Europe" (not in the geographic sense but rather in the sense of
returning to time-tested values) or along the path of non-tolerance, which
eventually left most of the former Yugoslavia in ruins. In that country,
history seemed to have justified--at least for a time-- the skeptics and
all those who claim that we now live in an era that is more complicated
than other periods and who emphasize what they see as the extremely
complicated nature of certain European relations.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000">I believe that the
conflict has made it abundantly clear that we are indeed facing many
complicated problems but--having learned from the past--we are in a
position to solve them. Yugoslavia was not only a battlefield of European
apprehensions but also a meeting place of its hopes. For the third time in
this century the Europeans have come to appreciate the usefulness of
American presence in Europe, as the situation in the conflict area had
been calmed down with the United States' assistance. Furthermore--and for
the first time--present-day Bosnia shows what was until recently quite
inconceivable for many of us: namely European, North American and Russian
soldiers joining their forces in a mission of peace and reconciliation.
The ability to carry out this joint action was the best answer to all
those doubting Thomases. Indeed, democratic dialogue among former enemies,
who are now allies, has become reality. NATO has demonstrated that there
are no insurmountable problems for it and that even in the face of the
wartime situations, which seem to be most complicated, the Alliance shall
not crumble. Bosnia and Herzegovina made it clear that agreement in Europe
is possible precisely because NATO is bent on expanding the zones of
tolerance and democracy. History tells us that no democracy can be
intolerant. No democracy will ever unleash war. That is why NATO's zone of
democracy and stability should be further expanded, that is why NATO
should remain open also in the future. Because the values of democracy and
tolerance make it possible--while preserving Europe's multiplicity and
diversity--to promote cooperation and dialogue among European nations.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT FACE="Palatino"><FONT COLOR="#000000">If someone had claimed 10
years ago that the 14th NATO Workshop would meet in Prague and that
representatives of those countries who are present today would sit down at
one table, many skeptics would have judged him very harshly and curtly.
Let us not be skeptical about the possibilities facing us. Let us do
everything we can to make the best use of them through our work and our
dialogue for the benefit of all the people.</FONT></FONT> </P>
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