IN FOCUS

The Vision of a United and Free Europe of Peace and Security

National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, 16.01.2002

Photo: BOBO

Distinguished Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today's public presentation of opinions, titled 'Slovenia Before the NATO Summit in Prague' demonstrates that those governing our country have decided to deepen the dialogue with the public on the outstanding issues related to our country's future in the Euro-Atlantic defence and security system, and to strengthen our alliance with the public regarding this highly important and long-term decision. It is therefore understandable that the National Assembly and its Defence Committee have decided to initiate a debate ensuring that the entire Slovenian public will be well-acquainted with all the reasons why we desire to receive an invitation to join NATO. This is a debate both on all the arguments in favour of accession as well as any arguments that could speak against that or warn of alleged threats to our security. This decision is deserving of every support. Sooner of later we shall also have to similarly broaden the public debate on Slovenia's EU accession, our second strategic objective, both of which are incorporated already in the very decision on forming our own state. NATO accession is an important act for any state and it is therefore understandable that there may be objections. Democratic dialogue provides an opportunity to clear up any such objections, as the implementation of the decision to join will require a high consensus between politics and the public. A consensus of the leaders of political parties is not sufficient, although it is of utmost importance and has yielded good results to date. We must strive for the highest possible level of national consensus.

We are not just now embarking on this dialogue. Already in the past many opinions were voiced publicly, opinions of all sorts. There were also polemics, both sound ones and those stemming from less sensible inclinations. Some of them also failed to contribute anything to the clearing up of dilemmas. In fact they even brought doubt as to the unity of Slovene politics on this issue. Nevertheless, the needle on the scale of arguments always pointed in the direction of joining NATO. Public opinion polls have been telling this for some time now. A large majority of those polled already have an opinion on this issue, and a large majority has been in favour of membership ever since the war for Slovenia, when Slovenia was under direct threat from the JNA aggression and when the sentiment that Slovenia requires a broader-based alliance was much more forthcoming than it is today.

It is not difficult to find from our polemics and from our citizen's opinions that still a Cold War NATO is still rooted in our conscience, a NATO with its erstwhile role and mission. The image of an ideological military pact and an organisation of large, heavily-armed forces with an enormous nuclear arsenal capable of maintaining the balance of fear with the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact prevails over the image of an Alliance transforming into a defence and security structure of smaller, yet well integrated, mobile national armed forces which guarantee common security and which are able to flexibly enter crisis areas in Europe and the world in order to establish peace, in order to defend and put into place the democratic values of the Euro-American civilisational heritage. The fact that the alliance is being renewed, that it is building its system of values securely anchored in the European democratic tradition has not entered our conscience sufficiently. NATO has changed and continues to change. How it changes, what its future role will be, its relation toward the EU's defence structures, toward UN peacekeeping forces, that is something that the debate among NATO member states will determine. That debate will, to a high extent, also determine Slovenia's future and it is in our interest to take active part in that debate.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Slovenia has always been and it is a part of Europe. A Europe physically and mentally rampaged by the two cataclysms of the twentieth century. A Europe that lost many lives, experienced the holocaust and concentration camps, wasted immeasurable amounts of energy, lost its colonial empires, used up its overseas riches, lost its position as the world's leading region. Despite all these losses it was able to get back on its feet after World War II with decisive help from the US and embarked on a visionary path of integration that was to prevent that unhappy history from repeating. The 1949 Washington Treaty founding NATO and the Treaty of Rome of 1957, leading to the EU of today, were of paramount importance. The fall of the Berlin Wall and last-year's September the 11th gave Euro-Atlantic integration processes new momentum and placed all Europeans before new challenges. The process of integration is irreversible. The vision of a Europe united and free is coming true, in spite of the problems. With all due respect for other European and regional organisations, NATO and the European Union are the leading factors of this integration process. Their enlargement leads to a single security, economic and political area, an area of common values. NATO is becoming the central institution of common endeavours for peace and security in Europe and remains the only security and defence organisation with a proven ability to create and maintain peace on the European continent. Events in Europe's South-East are confirmation of that.

In future, Slovenia can be a safe, peaceful, democratic and developmentally successful country if it becomes, in due time ? now ? an equal part of that same Europe, a member of the European Union and NATO. My answer to the question of 'Slovenia in NATO: yes or no' is therefore yes. A clear and affirmative yes. Just as have been my actions to date. That answer aims to persuade those who are still thinking about their answer. NATO membership is a contribution and a mutually binding commitment to clear and good political relations with our two neighbours, who are also NATO member states, and also enhances Slovenia's position in its relations with those two neighbours that are not members, and definitely places us in the stable part of Europe. NATO membership increases our chances, as well as our responsibility, to bring peace to crisis areas, particularly in South-East Europe. It provides for more effective cooperation in the fight against international crime and terrorism. It paves our way into the world of high technology

Of course, it is true that the initial cost of defence is higher because of NATO accession. But never is that cost as high as it would be if we were to provide for the same level of security and defence on our own. What is also true is that one cannot put a price on guaranteed safety for the state and for its citizens. There are values that cannot be expressed in money. NATO membership is such a guarantee for safety. Thus anything similar to what happened to us in 1991 and that was happening for a long time and is still happening in South-Eastern Europe, on the territory of our former common state, will no longer be able to happen to us. The documents attached to the invitation for today's debate list several aspects of Slovenia's NATO accession. I am sure that those competent in each area will be discussing them here today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the world is not safe and peaceful, in its globality it is full of contradiction and conflict. What happens anywhere in this world also happens to us. This world is interdependent. Slovenia is as much under threat as any other country. The appearance of geographical distance is deceptive. We are not only under threat from arms, but also international crime, illegal migrations, terrorism, ecological disasters and the profound imbalances in the world. We therefore cannot close ourselves off. We are responsible for ourselves for our own sake and for the sake of others; we carry our share of the responsibility for the future of the world. I believe that political wisdom will prevail also with regard to NATO accession. I also believe that the National Assembly, once it will be deciding on NATO membership, will take into consideration its April 1996 resolution on the Republic of Slovenia wishing to provide for its fundamental security interests within the system of collective defence offered by NATO membership. Today, we already have experience in this regard. We also have confidence. We know what we are capable of achieving. That is not an expression of self-satisfaction, for we also know what we still have to accomplish in order to meet membership criteria and for our expectation to receive an invitation to join NATO this autumn in Prague to be a justified one. This mainly regards Slovenia's military capability to contribute to NATO's common defence. Never before have we worked as seriously on meeting this requirement as this past year. We are no longer wandering in the dark seeking a concept for the development of the Slovenian Army and other issues of our defence doctrine. After the years lost, a result can now be expected.

In conclusion, allow me to point to the position laid down in the Resolution on the Points of Departure of the National Security Concept of the Republic of Slovenia adopted back in December of 1993, which states that ?Decision-making on these important integrations in the field of defence must be based on a broad-based exchange of expert and public opinion. The National Assembly may call a referendum on these issues.? Decision time on Slovenia's membership in NATO is approaching. I have no doubt that following good preparation and argumentation, the citizens of Slovenia would endorse such a decision at a referendum. I also have no doubt that today's and all future debates will be tolerant and will take all arguments into account, arguments which, I believe, give priority to our decision for Slovenia to join NATO.

Thank you for your kind attention.