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1.The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) met today at Defence
Ministers level in Brussels.Ministers welcomed Croatia as the newest and
46th member of the EAPC.
2.General Ralston, and the commanders of SFOR and KFOR, Lieutenant-General
Adams and Lieutenant-General Ortuno, briefed Ministers on the current
situation in the NATO-led operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and
Kosovo.Ministers welcomed the successful completion of the SFOR
restructuring.They expressed support for the efforts of the High
Representative to facilitate civil implementation and for the results of
the recent PIC Ministerial.
3.Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to help restore peace in a
multi-ethnic and democratic Kosovo.They discussed continuing concerns
over the security situation in Kosovo, including in Mitrovica, and in the
Presevo Valley, andcondemned the continuing level of violence, in
particular the recentspate of killings of ethnic Serbs. They emphasised
the importance of supporting UNMIK in rebuilding a multi-ethnic society,
civil institutions and the need to return refugees and displaced
persons.They urged nations to provide the necessary resources - police,
judges, prosecutors and funding - to build a more effective judicial
system.Ministers welcomed the close co-operation between KFOR and UNMIK
and the need for full implementation of the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1244.
4.The briefings by COMSFOR and COMKFOR underscored the important
contributions that Partners are making to operations in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Kosovo.Sixteen Partner nations are contributing forces to
these operations, and Partner nations in the region are providing essential
facilities and transit and overflight rights in support.Ministers
welcomed developments to make PfP a more operational partnership so as to
be better able to support such peace support operations.They noted, in
particular, the progress on PfP's Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC),
which will enhance our overall capability to mount and sustain
multinational operations.Ministers stressed the need to make further
progress on the OCC's assessment and feedback programme, with initial
assessments and a first exercise in 2001.
5.Ministers also noted the importance of the Political-Military Framework
for NATO-led PfP Operations and welcomed the start of the initial review of
its implementation.They noted positive steps already taken to increase
Partner involvement in political consultations and decision-making, in
operational planning and in command arrangements. These include more
frequent and timely consultations on Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina in EAPC
Ambassadorial meetings and in the Military Committee, greater involvement
of Partners in the Policy Co-ordination Group, new mechanisms at SHAPE to
increase consultation and information exchange with contributors to
SFOR/KFOR, and actions in theatre to involve Partners more closely in
operational planning.
6.Ministers also received reports on overall developments in PfP since the
Washington Summit.Ministers welcomed the completion of work on the
Training and Education Enhancement Programme and urged its speedy
implementation. Ministers also noted a report on the Alliance's South-East
Europe Initiative (SEEI) and emphasised the importance they attach to the
further development of this initiative, in particular the regionally led
initiatives such as the South-East Europe Security Co-operation Steering
Group, and focused training, education and simulation programmes making use
of the regional PfP Training Centres.
7.Ministers welcomed the development of the first full set of Partnership
Goals, and received a Summary Report describing the main trends and issues
in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP).These Partnership Goals aim
inter alia at further developing and enhancing effective and interoperable
forces and capabilities for the full range of NATO-led PfP operations, and
they also reflect key areas for improvement identified in the Defence
Capabilities Initiative.
8.Ministers will meet again in December 2000 in Brussels.
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