Foreign Minister Paet: Agenda for NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tallinn Focused on Future of NATO
08.04.2010
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the agenda for the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting taking place from 22-23 April in Tallinn includes discussions on issues important to the future of NATO, such as the new Strategic Concept, headquarters reform, NATO enlargement and partnership, nuclear issues, missile defence, and NATO-Russia relations. The foreign ministers of nations contributing to ISAF in Afghanistan will also gather in Tallinn to discuss developments in Afghanistan.
According to Paet, one of the main topics of the foreign ministers’ meeting in Tallinn will be the renewing of NATO’s Strategic Concept. “For Estonia it is important how the new Strategic Concept will reflect collective defence as the primary responsibility of NATO,” said the Estonian foreign minister. “Estonia is satisfied with the process of developing the new Strategic Concept, in which we have actively participated,” added Foreign Minister Paet.
Paet stressed that Estonia continues to support the decisions made at the NATO summits in Bucharest and Strasbourg-Kehl regarding the creation of a NATO missile defence system. “The goal of the NATO missile defence system is to protect the population and territory of the entire alliance from all sources of danger,” said Paet. In talking about NATO’s nuclear policy, Paet noted that nuclear deterrence is still one of the pillars of the alliance. “The predictability of the global security environment has decreased, and the need for reliable deterrence remains great,” said Paet.
The situation in Afghanistan will be discussed at the meeting of ISAF nations to take place in Tallinn. “We will discuss opportunities and terms for starting to hand security responsibilities over to the Afghan authorities, as well as issues related to training the Afghan security forces,” said Paet. “We will discuss the basics principles of handing responsibility for security over to the Afghan authorities at the Tallinn meeting. There are also plans to update the political-military plan of NATO’s extensive strategy,” explained the Estonian foreign minister.
Foreign Minister Paet said that NATO-Russia relations would also be discussed. “Russia is an important partner to the alliance, but partnership must be based on mutual interest,” he added.
The NATO foreign ministers will also discuss further NATO enlargement, including the giving of a Membership Action Plan (MAP) to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Estonia supports giving a MAP to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Representatives from 45 nations and several international organisations are expected in Tallinn for the informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from 22-23 April. Meetings will take place in the conference centres of downtown Tallinn hotels and in the Estonian National Opera.
