19 September 2008

NATO Supports Georgia’s Integrity, Unity Against Russian Action

Czech Republic, United States also sign pact tied to missile-defense radar

Defense Secretary Robert Gates visits London’s Imperial War Museum during NATO’s informal defense ministers’ meeting.

By Jacquelyn S. Porth
Staff Writer

Washington — NATO defense ministers concluded an informal meeting in London by expressing support for Georgia in the crisis that broke out with Russia in August while suggesting that a political solution will entail concessions by all sides.

British Defense Secretary Des Browne hosted the September 18-19 meeting in London to give momentum to the pressing task of reforming the 60-year-old alliance.  Reforming NATO means cutting its bureaucracy, pooling resources and pressuring members to increase the size of their defense budgets.

Discussions about increasing defense budgets, while not new, were reported to be lively as they occurred against the backdrop of a world financial crisis.  NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he was already worried about the defense budget issue even before the crisis hit, but said it is very important for alliance members to achieve the goal of devoting at least 2 percent of individual nations’ gross domestic product to defense.

But those discussions were overshadowed by talk of what to do about Russia’s actions in the Caucasus. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed the importance of proceeding with caution in crafting responses due to the range of views within the alliance.  He talked about pursuing a middle ground with prudent activities that will not be seen as “provocative and don’t tend to draw any firm red lines or send signals that are unwanted,” but, at the same time, provide assurances to Eastern European allies and Baltic states that “we’re mindful of their concerns.”

Gates emphasized the importance of stressing the territorial integrity of Georgia as well as a united U.S.-European front in addressing Russia’s actions.

De Hoop Scheffer highlighted the issue at hand by saying:  “Irrespective of who did what and when in the August conflict, Russia has demonstrated a disregard for the sovereignty of a small neighbor and for international law.”  Russia’s actions have created a challenge for the NATO-Russia partnership, he said in a September 18 speech at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

At the conclusion of the two-day meeting, the secretary-general said a political solution to the Georgia-Russia crisis must be found and that all parties will have to make concessions.  He also said that NATO is looking at ways to help Georgia rebuild, that it is still early in that evaluation process and that more information will be forthcoming “in the coming weeks and months.”

Defense Secretary Gates and Czech Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova sign an accord on a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

Georgian Prime Minister Vladimir Gurgenidze said European support for Georgia is important because his country “faces the existential crossroad of either staying the course as a young liberal European democracy with a vibrant market economy, or degenerating into something weighted down by its Soviet past.”

De Hoop Scheffer indicated that Georgia may remain a contentious issue between Russia and the West for some time, but it should not prevent cooperation with Russia “wherever our interests converge.”  He pointed to the example of Afghanistan and said that continued Russian-NATO cooperation in Afghanistan “is a clear indication that common interests can transcend disagreements in other areas.”

The subject of training and equipping the Afghan National Army also occupied the defense ministers.  The secretary-general called on NATO members to step up their activities in this area.  The United States has been the largest investor, but he said that does not let other allies “off the hook.”

De Hoop Scheffer said he will “go on nagging” the allies because the challenges in Afghanistan loom large.  He also said success in Afghanistan requires increasing political engagement with Pakistan.  “As long as Pakistan’s border region remains a sanctuary for insurgents,” he said, “Afghanistan will never become truly secure.”

Gates told his counterparts that a way must be found to pay for doubling the size of the Afghan army.  A capable army accompanied by good governance and economic development in Afghanistan, he said, ultimately represents “the exit strategy for all of us over the longer term.”

U.S.,  CZECH MINISTERS SIGN STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT

Gates also conducted important business on the sidelines of the meeting.  He met with Czech Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova to sign a status of forces agreement forming the legal basis for U.S. troops to operate an American missile-defense radar in the Czech Republic.  The Czech parliament must still ratify the plan to station the radar in the country.

“This is the culmination of a process to draw our nations closer and help protect Europe” against limited missile attacks, Gates said.  Assuming construction begins in 2009, the missile defense shield, which will include 10 interceptor missiles in Poland, would become operational between 2011 and 2013.  Parkanova said the agreement will make a significant contribution to the Atlantic alliance.

Gates and Parkanova also initialed a second agreement to improve Prague’s military transport capacity.

For more information about U.S. policy, see Europe and Eurasia.