Chairman's Summary from the Meeting of Senior MFA and MoD officials of States Participating in the Southeastern Europe Defence Ministerial
Senior
MFA and MOD officials of States participating in the Southeastern
Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) process met on 7 and 8 March
2000 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Chairman of the Politico-Military
Steering Committee of the Multinational Peace Force Southeastern
Europe /MPFSEE/, the SEEBRIG Commander and representatives of
NATO International Secretariat attended the meeting as observers.
The Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Minister of Defense of Bulgaria
addressed the meeting. They stressed that countries participating
in the SEDM process have a special responsibility and an ongoing
commitment to security and stability in the region.
The participants
discussed ways and means to improve coordination and synergy of
activities and resources dedicated to regional defense and security
cooperation with a view to enhancing the contribution of participating
states to security and stability in Southeastern Europe.
The participants
expressed their high appreciation of NATO’s role in providing
the general security framework for peace and stability-building
activities in the region. They stressed the importance of NATO
South East Europe Initiative (SEEI) and recognized the relevance
of greater involvement of countries in the region in NATO SEEI
projects and activities. In this context and with regard to para.
1.3 of Annex 2 of document EAPC/PfP (PMSC)N(1999)94, they exchanged
views on elements related to possible establishment and functioning
of a security co-operation steering group to coordinate practical
regional security co-operation (SEEGROUP). Further work on the
relevant options and modalities of such a process will be continued
in the same format of participants through their Permanent Missions
to NATO in Brussels, coordinated by the Mission of Bulgaria to
NATO, with appropriate follow-up in capitals.
The senior officials
of SEDM participating states welcomed the progress achieved within
the framework of the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe and
stressed the encouraging outcome of the Pact’s Third Working
Table session in Sarajevo, on 15-16 February 2000. In line with
the decisions of the Bucharest SEDM Meeting of 30 November 1999,
they reaffirmed the need for greater coordination among countries
in the region in working out and presenting Stability Pact sponsored
initiatives and projects with a view to avoiding duplication of
efforts and unnecessary competition.
The participants
stressed their common interest that activities and projects related
to the operational development of the MPFSEE and the setting up
and activation of the Engineer Task Force should be given priority
consideration. They noted the readiness of the Chairman of the
PMSC and the SEEBRIG Commander to finalize shortly relevant projects
with a view to submitting them to the Special Coordinator and
the Chairman of Working Table 3, reasonably in advance of the
Financing Conference in Brussels on 29-30 March. The participants
shared the expectation for a speedy and positive consideration
by the Stability Pact donor community of these projects, the implementation
of which would have an immediate positive impact on security and
cooperation in the region.
Regional cooperation
in the field of civil-military emergency planning and disaster
relief was also defined as an area of priority interest. The Chairman
of the PMSC offered his assistance in identifying possibilities
for SEDM contribution in this area, relevant to the Stability
Pact.
The participants
stressed the high importance they attach to issues of small arms,
demining and destruction of stockpiled APM’s.
The Chairman
also noted the interest expressed by participants in the following
areas for regional security and defense cooperation, to be pursued
on a priority basis within the Stability Pact framework:
-
social adaptation of released military personnel;
-
study on regional security challenges;
-
training and studies in democratic civil-military
relations;
-
training and studies in defense related ecological
issues;
-
arms control and non-proliferation;
-
exchange
of military and civilian representatives among national headquarters,
MOD’s and MFA’s /SEESTAFF/;
There was a
common understanding that the above mentioned issues should be
brought to the attention of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of
Defense for further consideration within the SEDM process.
Participants
also discussed possible future involvement in regional security
and defense cooperation of Stability Pact participating states
from the region that do not yet participate in the SEDM process.
In exchanging
views on the preparation of the next Meeting of Deputy Ministers
of Defense, participants found appropriate to suggest that Stability
Pact activities in the area of defense and security, as well as
review of cooperation of their countries in relation to NATO SEEI,
be included in the agenda of next SEDM meetings. They also suggested
to the attention of the Ministers of Defense the need to ensure
appropriate visible presence of the SEDM process within the Stability
Pact. Bulgaria, as future co-chair of Working Table 3, offered
its assistance in this respect.
Readiness was
expressed on behalf of the Greek Government to host the next SEDM
meeting at Deputy Ministers’ level.
The issue of
the role of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the MPFSEE participating
nations was raised in connection with the entry into force and
implementation of the MPFSEE Agreement. The Chairman of the MPFSEE
PMSC expressed his intention to include this issue in the agenda
of the next meeting of the Committee in May 2000.
There was a
general understanding that the meeting in Sofia was timely and
useful. As necessary, follow-up meetings could be convened.
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