NATO 60th Anniversary,
Sarajevo, 9 July 2009.
Introductory remarks,
Ambassador Jan Braathu
President Komsic, President Silajdzic, Speakers of Parliament, Excellencies, Generals, Ladies
and Gentlemen,
Tonight we are celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Looking back at the years and events that have transpired since NATO’s creation in 1949, this
anniversary gives us pause to reflect on the past and to consider our shared future.
The NATO Alliance was created in 1949 under the particular geo-strategic circumstances of
the time. From the outset, NATO was much more than solely a security alliance. The North
Atlantic Treaty makes clear that it is an alliance of shared values: Democracy, Respect for
Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
The objective was to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area. To achieve
that, there was the instrument of “Collective Defence”. In order to realize these objectives, the
allies committed to continuing self-help and mutual aid. The Alliance partners also committed
themselves to strengthening free institutions and encouraging economic collaboration. The
Alliance was, and remains, a partnership of member countries committed to shared values and
their promotion through discussion and joint decision-making.
Security challenges have become multifaceted and much more complex over the past sixty
years. The challenges tend to be global in nature. We should not deceive ourselves into
believing that events “far away” have nothing to do with us. Events “far away” today, may
become events “close to home” tomorrow. These new challenges encompass not only threats
to our physical safety, but also threats to the environment, public health and welfare, ICT
(Information and Communication Technologies) systems integrity, energy supply, seaborne
trade, and much more. The security landscape has evolved - it has not disappeared. It is only
different from what we were used to in the past.
Over these years, the Alliance has undergone a series of reforms so as to adapt to changing
political and strategic circumstances. Since 1990 especially, NATO has undergone a process
of fundamental transformation of a scope and intensity that few could have foreseen. This
process is ongoing. Discussions have recently begun on the revision of NATO’s strategic
concept from 1999. Ten years is a long time in international politics. All member countries
have a voice in this process through the principle of consensus that permeates all levels of
decision-making in NATO. This testifies to the capacity of the NATO Alliance to meet new
security challenges and to retain its relevance.
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In this picture of transformation, we should not forget the continuing attraction that NATO
holds throughout Europe and beyond. Membership in the Alliance has grown steadily, from
the founding twelve member countries in 1949 to today’s 28. In addition, NATO has
Partnership Agreements with 18 non-member countries, while NATO’s Mediterranean
Dialogue encompasses a further seven.
The North Atlantic Treaty envisaged enlargement, and its Article 10 holds out the prospect of
membership to “any other European state in a position to further the principles of the Treaty.”
Enlargements took place in 1952 (Greece & Turkey), 1955 (Federal Republic of Germany),
1982 (Spain), 1999 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland), 2004 (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia), and 2009 (Albania & Croatia).
NATO’s relationship with the Western Balkans illustrates the dramatic changes taking place
within NATO and in Europe: The conflicts in the Western Balkans during the 1990’s led to
NATO’s engagement in the region. NATO’s mission to stop the war in Bosnia and
Herzegovina was the first NATO “Out of Area” engagement. Of the former Yugoslav
republics, two are now NATO-members (Slovenia & Croatia), a third (FYR Macedonia) is
waiting at NATO’s doorstep, two (Montenegro & BiH) have applied for the Membership
Action Plan (MAP), while Serbia remains an active Partnership for Peace (PfP) member.
NATO’s “Open Door Policy” for enlargement and active engagement with countries seeking
membership, not the least including Bosnia and Herzegovina, entails that the enlargement
process is by no means over. We welcome and applaud Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dedicated
aspiration for NATO membership and the substantial achievements that have been made over
very few years.
Consider that the NATO Summit meeting that offered PfP-membership to Bosnia and
Herzegovina was held in Riga, Latvia in 2006, while the summit in Bucharest Romania in
2008 upgraded NATO cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina with the “Intensified
Dialogue” mechanism. We hope that the next step forward, the Membership Action Plan,
MAP, can be achieved much sooner rather than later.
Consider also that Bosnia and Herzegovina recently offered to commit troops to the ISAF
NATO operation in Afghanistan. This is no small commitment, neither in political nor in
military terms, as those of us with troops in Afghanistan recognise. It certainly does testify to
the seriousness of purpose with which Bosnia and Herzegovina is approaching its evolving
relationship with NATO.
However, the enlargement process poses great demands on applicant countries. It is in the
nature of the Alliance that common standards apply to one and to all. So do our commitments.
These commitments are mutual and self-reinforcing.
In closing, let us in celebrating NATO’s six decades of success tonight, also give praise to the
dedication and substantial efforts undertaken by Bosnia and Herzegovina so far on its road to
NATO membership. And let us give our strong encouragement and support for Bosnia and
Herzegovina’s continued efforts for the achievement of this objective. Let us also not forget,
that the success of Bosnia and Herzegovina in this regard also represents our success and the
continued strengthening of stability and prosperity in all NATO countries.
Thank you.
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