F.P Report
BRUSSELS: Secretary General Stoltenberg expressed his views on NATO headquarters on Tuesday saying that we really now have a unique opportunity to strengthen our transatlantic bond to open a new chapter in the relationship between North America and Europe.
President Biden has clearly conveyed the message about the need to rebuild alliances, strengthening the bond between North America and Europe, he said.
We have the upcoming summit later on this year, and then we have the NATO 2030 Initiative, which is an initiative which is about making NATO future-proof to make sure that we continue to adapt, Stoltenberg remarked.
He mentioned that, I strongly believe that we need to strengthen our unity, to use NATO as the unique platform NATO is, bringing North America together every day, and to consult on all issues which are important for our security.
We also know that our unity derives from our commitment to protect and defend each other. So therefore, to strengthen our deterrence and defense also by using more common-funded resources for our deterrence and defense is another way to strengthen our unity and demonstrate that we do more together, Secretary General said.
He further commented that NATO 2030 is also about broadening the security agenda, resilience, making sure that we have reliable infrastructure, energy grids, telecommunications, 5G networks, technology, and make sure that we maintain the technological edge, but also addressing the impact of climate change.
Partnerships is also about working with partners, for instance, in the Asia-Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, and to strengthen partnerships with likeminded democracies is a way also to protect the rules-based international order, he said.
Mentioning China he remarked that this is also about the consequences of the rise of China and many of the issues in NATO 2030 are relevant for addressing the consequences of the rise of China: resilience, technology, but also building partnerships with likeminded countries.
Along with this, Secretary Blinken expressed his views saying that we have a very broad agenda to make sure that this alliance is as effective over the next 75 years or so as it’s been in its first 75 years, and that means adapting it to the world as it is, not to the world as it was even as recently as 2010 when we had the last strategic concept.
Blinken remarked that we’re determined to revitalize our alliances, to revitalize our partnerships, starting with NATO.
On the other hand, Secretary General Stoltenberg expressed his views on NATO alliance saying that we are 30 allies from both sides of the continent, with geography, history, and different political parties in power, but the success of NATO is that despite these differences, we have always been able to unite around our task: to protect and defend each other.
He further commented that it is in the security interest of European allies but also of – for the United States and Canada to be together, adding that it is important for Europe to have a strong NATO, but it’s also important for United States.
Commenting on China’s rising economy he said we are 50 percent of the world’s GDP, we are 50 percent of the world’s military might, and together we can really mobilize a lot of innovation and technology dealing with the consequences or the challenges posed by the rise of China.
Highlighting Human rights issues, Blinken express his view point saying that freedom House, an organization that tracks this over many decades, has found that of the 40 or so countries that have been ranked fully free consistently in the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, fully half have fallen back.
He further remarked that we can deliver better for our people. And so the main challenge that we have, I think, is to demonstrate exactly the opposite that democracies are more adept at delivering what people need and what they want.
At the same time, we have a profound stake in the strength and health of democracies around the world, Blinken added, saying that in all of these challenges that we have to confront and all of these issues that are affecting the lives of our people, our partners of first resort are other democracies.
He further said, we are about both the power of our example but also working with others when we see those moving in the wrong direction to try to reverse get them to reverse laws, practices, other actions that are undermining the foundations of democracy.
Highlighting contemporary challenges, Blinken said when it comes to Russia, for example, we are very, very clear-eyed, adding that U.S work with Russia when it advances our interests, and one of those is strategic stability, and we’ve always demonstrated that with the extension of the New START agreement.
Furthermore, Stoltenberg also commented on challenges to NATO posed by Turkey, saying that there are differences and disagreements regarding the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, U.S has concerns in Ankara with the Turkish leadership on several issues, including the consequences of the decision to acquire S-400.
He further added that we have been able to establish a deconfliction mechanism between Greece and Turkey here at NATO to reduce the risk for incidents or accidents in the Eastern Med.
We agreed some defense plans, which are important for this alliance, and we also see that we have the NATO presence in the Aegean where, actually, Turkey agrees EU meets and work together on the NATO platform, the NATO naval presence in the Aegean, Stoltenberg remarked.
But this is an opportunity in the next couple of days, and in fact, this morning, to continue to talk through these issues together as allies and partners and to chart a course forward together.
