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President of the Republic at the conference Dual Enlargement and the Baltic States: Security Policy Implications sponsored by GCMC and the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute in Tallinn on 11 February 200411.02.2004
Mr Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to open our conference today.
The topic of the conference is interesting and deserves an in-depth analysis. I am especially pleased that the highly timely conference is co-organised by the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies (GCMC) and Estonian Foreign Policy Institute.
It is difficult to overestimate the role of the Marshall Centre in achieving Estonia's NATO membership, the latter being a component of dual enlargement, our topic of the day. Ever since the establishment of the Marshall Centre in 1993, an impressive group of Estonians have improved their security policy knowledge and thinking at the centre, whereas very many of them are guiding processes securing Estonia's security today. Allow me to mention just a few well-known names like Raul Mälk from the Foreign Ministry and Prosecutor General Jüri Pihl but there are many more.
I have already expressed my satisfaction that Estonian Foreign Policy Institute is a co-sponsor of the conference. In a country of the size of Estonia, it is kind of difficult to muster up and maintain critical mass of people and resources necessary for foreign policy research and analysis. Therefore, I really hope that our conference will contribute to the further success of the Foreign Policy Institute in committing itself to issues significant for Estonia.
I have also mentioned that ours is a well-timed conference. Really, we are already quite close to full membership in the EU and NATO - last Thursday (5 February) the French Senate ratified the Protocols of Accession and completed the round of ratification by current NATO members. Now we are looking forward to a letter by NATO Secretary-General to pass the baton of ratification to the accession countries. When if not today could academic community reflect on accession implications on Estonia, the Alliance and the transatlantic bargain?
The transatlantic bargain between the US and Europe, which pledges to defend common interests in the Euro-Atlantic region has been repeatedly reconsidered since the conclusion in 1949, depending on changes in the international climate and balance of power.
The bargain is under transformation again - in various parts of the world terrorist acts take place, Middle East peace process has got entangled and although some positive shifts are seen in the positions of Iran and Libya, there is still some doubt about nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea. Let alone the vulnerable future of Afghanistan and Iraq. These problems sustain security policy issues on the agenda and NATO as one of the tools of collective security is involved in solving at least a few of them.
Although often the allies may have slightly different interests and approach, it is clear that common values and interests underlying mutual relations will remain dominant, as a healthy transatlantic relationship will continuously be in the interests of Europe and the USA.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In brief, it is excellent that the conference focuses on double enlargement - while the European Union and related processes have been long in the limelight of Estonian media and public, getting in-depth attention, NATO membership is approaching somewhat unnoticed. In a way it might be even natural - the public sees NATO as a "bad weather organisation" and a common man hopes he could do without it. However, considering that NATO is more and more forced into out of area operations, it is clear that such a "bad weather organisation" is increasingly necessary in any weather.
This is why our conference is welcome to enhance our awareness of Estonia's upcoming NATO accession-related topics.
I wish you successful discussions.
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