BRUSSELS – During a briefing on Monday, before the meeting of the foreign ministers of NATO member countries, the agenda of the next two days was discussed at length and depth. At 3 p.m. local time, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gave a pre-ministerial press conference. Such ministerial meetings are held on a regular basis as a preparatory stage of the next summit, this time in Warsaw (July 2016). To date, a number of issues and challenges have accumulated in the security realm. Since the last NATO summit in Wales the international community has shed a number of illusions, including about an aggressor state using diplomatic means of resuming the status quo, with the annexation of Crimea being a graphic example. Tensions are mounting, becoming a test of strength for the world security forces.
Attending the briefing were journalists representing more than 40 world media, including 20 NATO member countries, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and Montenegro. The latter stands a good chance of becoming a member of the Alliance in two years and its membership will be discussed at the NATO Headquarters this Tuesday. In 2009, Albania and Croatia became members.
The press conference began with the organizing committee apologizing for the unprecedented security arrangements in the aftermath of the Paris attacks and the threat of new acts of terrorism. The first question asked was about the possibility of adjusting to new challenges and threats. A NATO official had stressed that the Alliance should not only adjust to threats as they emerged, but make such adjustments one of the security functions in the face of permanent hybrid threats, considering that the sources of such threats tend to increase.
At present, the geography of military tensions is divided into the east and west and there is a destabilization arc from Pakistan to the Middle East. Even the Strong Support Mission in Afghanistan, alleged to have been a success by NATO, requires a second stage and monetary aid to the Afghan security forces for the next three years.
In addition to strategic adjustment, it is worth considering the formation of political entities that are not states but have potential hallmarks of ones, as in the case with ISIS.
The possibility of the conflict in Syria becoming a distracting factor for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine remains topical. NATO does not intend to develop its infrastructure in the neighboring countries, but will continue to increase its presence in the member states. Aid to Ukraine does not exceed the limits of political influence and will continue at a practical level by using trust funds and joint training.
NATO regrets to say that the stability in the relationships with Russia, established over a number of years, has been upset. NATO adheres to its open-door policy and is prepared to maintain contact with Russia in ensuring international security. Regrettably, the conflict in Syria shows that Russia’s air raids are targeted not so much on ISIS as on the opponents of the Assad regime. NATO remains committed to its stand in regard to Assad as an accomplice to crimes against humanity.
During the briefing emphasis was placed on EU-NATO cooperation. It was noted that it is difficult for the EU to respond to modern challenges in terms of economy, banking, frontiers, and so on. NATO’s sphere of concern is narrower, so it is extremely important to coordinate the efforts of both organizations, considering that challenges such as mounting extremism affect the entire Western world. Previously, the migrant issue concerned only the EU, now the Alliance will pay serious attention to this problem.
It was stressed that NATO is a stabilization tool. Russia’s unwillingness to have a dialog for peace and consensus, ranging from the “green men” in Crimea and in the east of Ukraine to air raids on anti-Assad opposition in Syria, forces NATO to wage a pro rata policy. There must be no returning to the Cold War, but there will be “something new” that will allow the Alliance to adequately respond to acts of aggression. NATO has no information about Russian clandestine agencies operating in ISIS, but there is information about Russian nationals fighting on ISIS side.
Russia is conducting military exercises close to NATO borders. NATO, for its part, has conducted exercises on a scale several times smaller than that of Russia and always invited Russia to send observers. Russia has been expanding the scale of such exercises without inviting NATO observers.
To support Turkey, NATO plans to deploy special systems on the Turkish border and urge the EU countries to consider the possibilities of aiding Turkey. NATO refutes all allegations that the Alliance sees the Turkish downing of the Russian bomber as an excessive move. NATO takes a principled stand in the matter: Turkey has the right to defend its sovereignty, but the conflict must not be allowed to aggravate. Every diplomatic effort must be made to assuage and settle it.
