Dr Drnovsek at the Vilnius Group summit in Bucharest
Date: 26/3/2002
Source: Office of the Prime Minister
Category: public announcement
The Slovenian prime minister Dr Janez Drnovsek today participated
in the conference for Vilnius Group prime ministers in Bucharest,
Romania, entitled "The Spring of New Allies". He took part
in a discussion on the views of candidate states on the adaptation of
NATO and the road to Prague and beyond. The discussion was opened by
the US deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage.
Dr Drnovsek used the opportunity to emphasise that Slovenia has
been a NATO candidate for a number of years, a period in which much
has changed in Slovenia and within NATO. For NATO the first important
change was its intervention in the region of the former Yugoslavia
where in 1999 the alliance made its first military intervention in
history. The role of NATO and the US was vital to establishing
stability in the region. In this sense NATO has already made a
concrete contribution to Slovenia's security.
The other important change for Slovenia came with the events of 11
September, which showed the need for international security
cooperation. In that context the rapprochement with the Russian
Federation was also significant. Dr Drnovsek reminded those present
that he had spoken in favour of partnership with Russia at last year's
Vilnius Group summit in Bratislava. As then, he remains convinced that
Russia desires to cooperate with the West and that the European Union
and NATO must offer it a chance for mutual cooperation. For this
reason he was extremely satisfied that the first contact between
Presidents Bush and Putin occurred in Slovenia, a meeting he believes
has made an important contribution to changes in NATO and new
developments in international relations.
Dr Drnovsek stressed the fact that Slovenia has also undergone
changes in recent years. As a democratically and economically
successful state Slovenia does not need membership of NATO to confirm
its position. Instead Slovenia sees NATO membership as an opportunity
to contribute its efforts to ensuring international peace and
security. Slovenia is aware that instability in other regions of the
world also poses a direct threat to Slovenia itself. The events of 11
September showed very clearly the interdependence of the modern
world. This was the reason Slovenia decided to increase its
contribution to the SFOR operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where
this year it will send an additional military unit.
Dr Drnovsek closed his talk by saying that he sees no reason why
the current members of NATO would not want the candidates to join the
alliance and take on their share of the responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security.
During the summit Dr Drnovsek met several foreign statesmen
including the prime ministers of Macedonia and Croatia, Ljubco
Georgievski and Ivica Racan.
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