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NATO Deputy SecGen Vershbow: We need a stronger NATO, since Russia is more categorical
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow says the North-Atlantic Alliance needs to be stronger, given that Russia is more categorical, and Northern Africa and the Middle East are confronted with an increment of extremism and troubles.More than ever, we need a stronger NATO. We see a more categorical Russia, intimidating its neighbours and trying to change the borders forcibly; we see an increase of the extremism and troubles in Northern Africa and in the Middle East; we see challenges from the cyber-attacks, power outages. Therefore, NATO is implementing the broadest reinforcement of the collective defence since the end of the Cold War, the increase of its capabilities and reaction forces, the acceleration of the military and political decision making and the setup of some NATO force integration units, including the one recently activated in Bucharest, Vershbow asserted after a meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday.
He pointed out that these measures are defensive; NATO is not looking for confrontation with anyone, but it will do the necessary to maintain its member countries safe.
According to him, Romania is actively committed and a reliable ally, permanently involved in all NATO initiatives and missions.
Romania has an active contribution to some of our key-partners' security, such as Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. (...) Romania has also contributed to the stability in the Black Sea region, which remains of strategic importance for the Euro-Atlantic security, Vershbow added.
He hailed Romania's decision to increase the Defence's budget, to reach 2pct of the gross domestic product in 2017.
All this helps Romania to be strong and NATO to be strong as well, the high official concluded.
In turn, Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu voiced the utmost importance Romania attaches to the inclusion of the Black Sea region in NATO's evaluation processes and pointed out that a strong Alliance is indispensable for the region's and Europe's stability.
"We attach a special importance - and we discussed it on our meeting - to the initiative I proposed on the foreign minister's meeting in Antalya, in May, namely to including the Black Sea region in the allied evaluation processes, to stressing the importance of the Black Sea security within NATO's security, so that the complex challenges in the region are analysed correctly and comprehensively, and we voiced our satisfaction for the allied appreciation of our efforts towards the consolidation of NATO's security, a process in progress. Within the current security context, we appreciate that a strong and united Alliance, endowed with the necessary resources and political will, is indispensable for the stability of our region and of Europe," Aurescu declared at the Foreign Affairs Ministry after meeting NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow on Thursday.
He mentioned the evaluation at the meeting of the progress of the implementation of NATO's Summit in the UK and the priorities of the upcoming summit in Warsaw. "For Romania, the vital goals are still the full implementation of the action plan for the increase of the allied operational capability and the launch of a new stage of long-term adaptation of the Alliance, on the occasion of the NATO summit in Warsaw," the minister said.
He disclosed that his talks with the NATO official tackled the progress of the implementation of Allied command structures in Romania. "We see a credible and predictable presence by rotation of Allied forces on the eastern flank as important within a robust plan of reassurance and deterrence measures," Aurescu asserted.
He also mentioned that he and Vershbow discussed the status of the implementation of the missile defence system.
Aurescu pointed out that Romania gives political and practical priority to the eastern and southern partners. Romania supports the opening of a NATO liaison office in Chisinau as an important instrument for advancing the dialogue and cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and NATO, he added, stressing the importance of consolidating the commitments of the Alliance's partners.
The minister said Romania supports NATO's open doors policy and the progresses in Montenegro's candidacy to NATO; he added that progress and a credible package for Georgia are needed at the Warsaw summit.
The two officials also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Syria.