22 October 2002
NATO Allies' Capabilities To Be Key Issue at Prague, Robertson Says
(Secretary General sees robust future for organization) (880)
By Ralph Dannheisser
Washington File Congressional Correspondent
The upcoming Prague summit will provide "the focus for major changes
across NATO's agenda," with particular emphasis on the alliance's
military capabilities, NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson
told a Washington audience October 22.
Speaking at the Brookings Institution, a public policy research
organization, Robertson alluded almost in passing to other issues on
the agenda for the late-November summit:
enlargement of what is now a 19-member alliance, and the
organization's basic philosophy -- or what he termed "theology" --
with respect to its mission.
But, he said, "As we near Prague, I am continuing to browbeat all NATO
governments on capabilities, capabilities, capabilities."
His effort is taking different forms on the two sides of the Atlantic,
he said: "In Europe the message, my message, repeated over and over
again, is that it is a question of modernization or marginalization.
And here in Washington, my message is, and will continue to be, remove
the alibis."
The NATO chief argued that U.S. restrictions on technology transfer to
its allies over the years had allowed Europeans to contend that they
would like to do more, but were blocked from doing so.
"Today, I say that simply will not do," Robertson said. "If the United
States wants Europeans to share the responsibilities and risks of
dealing with today's threats, it must be prepared to transfer the
technology that is needed to modernize European armed forces.
"We can deal with concerns about onward proliferation and industrial
competition. We cannot deal with soldiers unable to communicate with
each other, aircraft unable to use precision weapons, and commanders
unable to see the battlefield," he declared.
Robertson cited, as precedent, the successful battle of El Alamein in
the Egyptian desert in World War II. That effort succeeded "because
the United States released its highest technology equipment, M4 tanks,
to its friends ahead of its own troops. You took away our alibi for
failure and created the conditions for success," he said.
Meetings he has had with President Bush and others convince him that
"the (U.S.) administration is tackling this issue seriously," he said.
Robertson made clear his view that the case for a vibrant NATO
alliance is as strong today as it has been at any time since the
organization's formation in 1949, and that that is true in terms of
both European and U.S. interests.
Citing multilateral efforts in cases from Desert Storm to Bosnia to
Kosovo and again in the fight against terrorism over the past year, he
said that all of these have demonstrated that "you cannot conduct
either diplomacy or military operations on your own."
And while they have revealed that "you need different options for
different circumstances," they have also made an effective case for an
organization like NATO, he suggested, showing that "acting together
strongly ... needs preparation and a habit of working together, which
comes only from having a core of permanent allies you can trust and
who share your values."
While successes in the war against terror have been substantial,
Robertson told his audience, "we are still in the early stages" of
that effort. "This will be a long haul and many more troops from both
sides of the Atlantic will be needed on the ground in Afghanistan, the
Balkans and elsewhere if we are to completely win our war," he said.
The secretary general said the alliance he pilots "is not set to
transmute into the world's counter-terrorist organization" -- a task
he deemed "too complex for any single body." But, he said, "at Prague
we will unveil a major enhancement in the alliance's capability to
contribute to the war against terror" by recasting capabilities,
operations and collective planning.
Robertson made only a brief reference to NATO's "theology," observing
that "debate is dead" over the issue of whether the organization
should consider actions outside its geographic area -- a departure
from past policy. "NATO ... may decide on a case-by-case basis not to
operate in particular circumstances. But there is an agreement at last
that there is no geographic bar should it decide to field forces
wherever they are required," he said.
He was even more succinct on NATO enlargement matters that will be
another centerpiece of the Prague summit. Nine nations -- Bulgaria,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania and
Macedonia -- have proceeded through the complex application process,
and recent news reports have speculated that the first seven of these
will be invited to membership at Prague.
"No numbers, no names for the moment," Robertson told his Brookings
audience, " but I'm happy that a sound consensus is emerging -- a
consensus that will strengthen NATO and contribute to the final end of
artificial divisions in the Old World."
Indeed, Robertson's only reference to a particular aspirant came in a
question-and-answer session following his presentation -- and that was
in the nature of a comment that Croatia, a late addition to those
undergoing the screening process, would definitely not be selected at
this time. He stressed that further enlargement lies ahead.
In more general terms, he said that when the membership decision is
taken at Prague, "we will be satisfied that there will be no dilution
of NATO's military effectiveness nor of its democratic credentials."
He expressed assurance that all the countries invited "will add value
through niche specialization and role specialization, but will also
add it democratically as well."
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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