on
the Occasion of the NATO-Russia Summit
May 28, 2002
Rome, Italy
Today we begin a new chapter in strengthening our ties with Russia. The new
NATO-Russia Council a council of 20 equal partners offers us a huge opportunity
and an enormous challenge. It is an opportunity to end the last divisions of the
Cold War and to build a truly re-united Europe. But it also challenges us to
find solutions, to compromise and discover new ways of working in common.
This new Council will be good for NATO and good for Russia. In the past
decade, the process of welcoming a democratic Russia into the institutions of
the West has already borne fruit. It will be no different for NATO. In 1995, I
invited then President Yeltsin to join the G-7 at the Halifax Summit. We created
what is now called the G-8.
At the time, there were plenty of doubters about the wisdom of such a step.
In a few weeks, the G-8 will be meeting once again in Canada. And no one now
doubts that it was the right thing to do. The G-8 has helped coordinate policies
to increase global prosperity, to assist the poorest of the poor, to protect our
environment, to reduce tensions around the world, and to combat terrorism.
Russia has played a full and essential role in that effort
Now it is time for the countries of NATO to include Russia more directly in
their deliberations. After all, we share a common goal: Peace and prosperity in
the Euro-Atlantic region.
I believe the people of Russia are no less interested in that goal than the
people in any of our countries. It was to achieve this goal that NATO was
founded in 1949. Today we have the opportunity to bring that goal closer. This
is why Canada, as one of the founding members of the Alliance, has been at the
forefront in first proposing the idea of a new Council "at 20" and
pushing hard for its realization.
Mr. Secretary General, my country will spare no effort in making the
NATO-Russia Council a success. But it is for all of us find the "political
will" to make the necessary compromises. Only then will we be able to take
the joint initiatives and joint actions to build stronger ties and to prevent
future conflicts.
Today, this is more clear, and more urgently needed than ever. The tragic
events of September 11 revealed the new threats facing each of our countries.
Canadians saw that attack as an attack on themselves. Now we need to work to
keep nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons out of the hands of such
terrorists. Our officials should work
"at
20" to develop initiatives to prevent such a possibility, initiatives that
we can agree on at Prague. Our common defence requires no less.
Without Russia we will not succeed. This is why it has been clear to us that
a G-8 and a NATO-Russia Council "at 20" strengthens our security.
President Putin, Russia has taken enormous strides in recent years in taking
its rightful place among the democratic nations of the West.
You are to be congratulated, as should we all, in having the foresight to see
the vast potential that our new Council offers. I look forward at the nearest
opportunity to reviewing with you the fruits of our work. Our people will expect
no less.
Thank you.
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