Southeast European Security After the 2004 Dual Enlargement - A
view from Slovenia
Dr. Milan Jazbec, State Secretary, Ministry of Defense, Republic of Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the newly emerged countries that were
established after the end of the Cold War. It's foreign and defense
policy is noticeable characterized by the need to organize and provide
its own security. In the current development phase of the European and
global security, this goal can be achieved through the establishment
of the national defense and security system as well as through its
parallel integration in the network of defense and security
institutions.
In the first decade of its existence Slovenia has asserted itself
through the active, consistent, and efficient involvement in
international environment. The regional framework includes
i.e. participation in the Central European Initiative (CEI), the
South- East Europe Stability Pact, the South-East European Defense
Ministerial (SEDM), and the Central European Nation's Cooperation for
Peace (CENCOOP), while the global framework includes in particular
Slovenia's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council in the
period 1998-1999, and the forthcoming OSCE Chairmanship in 2005.
In recent years comprehensive analyses concerning the development
of the defense system, and the Slovene Armed Forced (SAF) in
particular, have been conducted. Based on the strategic and doctrinal
documents, further development and transformation plans for the SAF
were identified. In April 2002, key decisions were made for the
transformation to a full professional force. The SAF are being
intensively restructured, which is shown in the downsizing as well as
in strong push towards professionalization. The aim of this process
is to establish modern, efficiently and well-equipped armed forces
which are, at the same time, downsizing their size and
structure. Goals are a maximum of 26,000 war-time manning, of which
8,000 will be professionals in a form of 2 brigades and air defense
with headquarters at the brigade level, all organized in the form of
rapid reaction, main and augmented forces. At the same time, the
professional structure, which is now comprised of approximately 6,000
service members, is being increased and the reserve composition is
being restructured. The conscript system will be abolished in the year
2004.
When Slovenia gained its independence in 1991, the establishment of
the SAF began and, simultaneously, Slovenia started to approach
Euro-Atlantic integrations. Today, Slovenia is one of seven countries,
which have been invited to join NATO and one of ten countries invited
to the EU. Full-membership in both organizations is expected in the
spring of 2004. This fact adds to Slovenia's significance and
strengthens its status as a security player in the wider region. For
Slovenia, NATO enlargement presents the main corner stone in the
future development of Euro-Atlantic security. The effects of NATO- EU
dual enlargement have important and long-term implications on the
security situation in the Southeast Europe (SEE). Its stability is
being enhanced and strengthened already. The security link in the
region has been strengthened, in particular around the Western
Balkans. The three NATO invitees, which already are security players,
have gained added weight and are further promoting regionalism as a
window of opportunity for the regional security. Also two direct
security implications of the dual enlargement should be mentioned
here. First, there will be more security directed inwards, in the
Western Balkans and second, there will be possibly and preferably less
instability spread outwards, from the Western Balkans.
Furthermore, NATO membership enables Slovenia, although a small
country, to further consider global security issues and implement them
in its regional environment. In such a fashion, Slovenia is
contributing to the strengthening of security in the wider region and
is, at the same time, taking care of its economic interests, being one
of the largest foreign investors in the region.
The role of a security player manifests itself in various ways. The
participation of SAF service members on international operations and
missions is the most prominent example of providing hard
security. This relates to three types of activities, those under the
auspices of NATO (SFOR and KFOR - all together 167 service members),
those under the auspices of the UN (UNTSO and OHR - 3 officers) and
those under the auspices of the EU (Concordia - 1 officer). Also the
trilateral project, namely Multinational Land Force brigade, composed
of Italian, Hungarian and Slovene troops has to be mentioned within
this framework. In the context of providing soft security, the ITF
(International Trust Fund for Demining and the Rehabilitation of Mine
Victims) and the Center for the Psychosocial Well-being of Children
"Together" are foremost. In 2002, Slovenia chaired the
CENCOOP initiative; it is currently the chair of the executive
committee (MAG) in the RACVIAC; it is chairing the Adriatic-Ionian
Initiative, etc. Slovenia is thus showing its understanding of the
changed nature of security challenges after the end of the Cold War
and is also exercising this understanding practically. This follows
the logic of that well known slogan "think global, act
local".
Southeastern Europe is crisscrossed with various international
integrations which, to a great extent, deal with security. Three
additional points has to be mentioned here. First, membership in PfP
of each country of the Western Balkans is of crucial importance for
the future benefit of security and stability. Second, NATO should
continue with its open door policy, especially through MAP
activities. Third, SEDM should enhance its networking activities as
well as its projects like SEEBRIG. Such activities have an encouraging
effect also on other forms of regional integrating, like the Black Sea
cooperation. Slovenia plays a significant role in these processes and
supports them strongly. We see all this steps as an unavoidable way
how to strengthen regional and Euro-Atlantic security processes. Since
the Western Balkans remains the critical security point in Europe we
all have to enhance our activities in the broader region. The role of
the USA - being the main promoter of the current NATO enlargement -
will remain indispensable also within this context.
Slovenia pays due attention also to the global aspects of the
enlargement, since it will enhance the area of peace and stability in
wider Europe. Fourteen years after the end of the Cold War this will
significantly enhance the area of stability, democracy and market
economy. More than others, the armed forces of the new members will
continue with their reforms within a stable and tested framework along
firm interoperability lines. Perhaps this could be one of the
strongest messages - armies do not fight with each other anymore, they
cooperate increasingly.
However, also the enlargement has been transforming NATO into a
defense and security integration of closely connected mobile national
armed forces that provide security and collective defence and are
flexible in their deployment in crisis areas. Indeed, NATO is
acquiring a new dimension. It is increasingly becoming an
international organization of countries that share similar values and
objectives, as well as substantial military capabilities, whose
primary goal is to achieve global peace and stability. For the SEE
region this will remain of an utmost importance.
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