1414THTH PFP INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PFP INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SEMINARSEMINAR

EFORIE NORD, ROMANIA EFORIE NORD, ROMANIA 06-07 JUNE 200506-07 JUNE 2005

NATO AND THE WIDER NATO AND THE WIDER BLACK SEABLACK SEA

MR. GEORGE NICULESCUMR. GEORGE NICULESCU

NATO INTERNATIONAL STAFFNATO INTERNATIONAL STAFFPOLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY DIVISIONPOLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY DIVISION

PFP AND COOPERATION PROGRAMMESPFP AND COOPERATION PROGRAMMES

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

• Nato’s involvement in the Wider Black Nato’s involvement in the Wider Black Sea: Sea: cooperative security cooperative security approachapproach

• Istanbul summit: cornerstone for Nato’s Istanbul summit: cornerstone for Nato’s engagementengagement– Bulgaria and Romania new membersBulgaria and Romania new members– Recognised importance of the region for Euro-Recognised importance of the region for Euro-

Atlantic securityAtlantic security– Ready to explore further means to Ready to explore further means to

strengthening security and stabilitystrengthening security and stability, building , building upon existing forms of regional co-operationupon existing forms of regional co-operation

KEY QUESTIONSKEY QUESTIONS

• Why Does the Wider Black Sea Why Does the Wider Black Sea Matter for NATO?Matter for NATO?

• How Does NATO Contribute to How Does NATO Contribute to Regional Stability and Security?Regional Stability and Security?

• Why and How Might NATO Extend Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-Its Support to Regional Co-operation?operation?

Why Does the Wider Black Sea Why Does the Wider Black Sea Matter for NATO?Matter for NATO?

• Key Role in Inducing and Supporting Key Role in Inducing and Supporting ReformsReforms in Georgia, and Ukraine, as well in Georgia, and Ukraine, as well as in Moldova, Armenia, and Azerbaijan;as in Moldova, Armenia, and Azerbaijan;

• ““Frozen conflicts” and organised crimeFrozen conflicts” and organised crime threaten Euro-Atlantic security;threaten Euro-Atlantic security;

• Share with the Share with the EUEU the burden of taking the burden of taking the the European project across the Black European project across the Black SeaSea

• Security of transport routesSecurity of transport routes of the of the Caspian energy to EuropeCaspian energy to Europe

How Does NATO Contribute to How Does NATO Contribute to Regional Stability and Security?Regional Stability and Security?

• All regional Partners engaged in existing All regional Partners engaged in existing cooperation programmes with NATO, but…cooperation programmes with NATO, but…– No regional focus on the regionNo regional focus on the region– No formal relations with regional initiatives.No formal relations with regional initiatives.

• Could NATO Do More?Could NATO Do More?– Use PAP-DIB label and mechanisms to promote Use PAP-DIB label and mechanisms to promote

defence and security reformdefence and security reform– Network of mentoring projects to support IPAP Network of mentoring projects to support IPAP

NationsNations– Wider Black Sea Education for Defence Reforms Wider Black Sea Education for Defence Reforms

- Contribution to NATO’s Evolving Education - Contribution to NATO’s Evolving Education for Reform Initiative: Black Sea Scholarships for Reform Initiative: Black Sea Scholarships and Support Wider Access to the EAPNand Support Wider Access to the EAPN

Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-operation?Support to Regional Co-operation?

• Why?Why?– Reinforce efforts to assist individual Partners Reinforce efforts to assist individual Partners

to implement to implement defence and wider reformsdefence and wider reforms– Enhance the framework for providing Enhance the framework for providing

assistance to multinational projectsassistance to multinational projects – Trans-national security risksTrans-national security risks better dealt with better dealt with

in regional formatsin regional formats– Overcome the Overcome the paralysis of regional co-paralysis of regional co-

operation in the Caucasusoperation in the Caucasus– Potential Potential co-operation with other international co-operation with other international

organisationsorganisations – a bonus – a bonus

Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-operation?Support to Regional Co-operation?

• How?How?– First Allied meetingFirst Allied meeting: :

• Maintain the issue on the agendaMaintain the issue on the agenda• Need to complement and add value to Need to complement and add value to

existing effortsexisting efforts• Primacy to local and regional initiativesPrimacy to local and regional initiatives• Involve Partners from the region in the Involve Partners from the region in the

discussion, when appropriatediscussion, when appropriate• A gradual process focusing, initially, on A gradual process focusing, initially, on

small, concrete proposals to be launched in small, concrete proposals to be launched in the near futurethe near future

Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-operation?Support to Regional Co-operation?

• How?How?– Informal working level expert group of Informal working level expert group of

the willing to draft a the willing to draft a “food for thought” “food for thought” paperpaper

– Keep the Keep the NATO Committees updatedNATO Committees updated with what is going onwith what is going on

– Possibly Possibly invite high level invite high level representatives of BLACKSEAFOR and representatives of BLACKSEAFOR and BSECBSEC at EAPC meetings at EAPC meetings

Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-operation?Support to Regional Co-operation?

• Challenges AheadChallenges Ahead– Need for IDEAS of small, practical projects, Need for IDEAS of small, practical projects,

supported by all Allies from the region, that supported by all Allies from the region, that add valueadd value in areas like: in areas like: • security dialoguesecurity dialogue• building democratic institutionsbuilding democratic institutions• military education, training and exercisesmilitary education, training and exercises• border securityborder security• WMD counter-proliferationWMD counter-proliferation• counter-terrorismcounter-terrorism• Civil Emergencies PlanningCivil Emergencies Planning• Security of energy routesSecurity of energy routes• Scientific and Environmental Co-operationScientific and Environmental Co-operation

Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Why and How Might NATO Extend Its Support to Regional Co-operation?Support to Regional Co-operation?

• Challenges AheadChallenges Ahead– Black Sea region = Black Sea region = littoral states, Wider littoral states, Wider

Black Sea, or …BOTH, on a case by Black Sea, or …BOTH, on a case by case basis?case basis?

– Deal with political sensitivitiesDeal with political sensitivities related related to regional co-operationto regional co-operation

ConclusionsConclusions

• Strong reasons for Strong reasons for NATO to expand its NATO to expand its role in the Wider Black Sea regionrole in the Wider Black Sea region

• Need for: Need for: – Political will from Allies and Partners to Political will from Allies and Partners to

promote and extend democracy and promote and extend democracy and stabilitystability in the region in the region

– Imagination to set up Imagination to set up new projects or new projects or support existing onessupport existing ones

– PerseverancePerseverance to implement agreed to implement agreed projects projects