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U.S. Ambassador Hans Klemm at the conference on 'Current security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area'
Present dangers are more complex than ever in recent history, U.S. Ambassador Hans Klemm told a conference on 'Current security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area' hosted on Friday by the Faculty of European Studies of the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca.
Among the reasons for the unsure and dangerous times, the ambassador mentioned a vindictive Russia on the east that is destabilizing European security. He warned about Russia's innovative approach to modern warfare specific to the 21st century, including the cyber and hybrid wars. From the south, Islamic terrorism advances, as a result of the context in Syria and Libya, with threats posed even by individuals or small groups.
Russia is making significant investments in its military capability at the Black Sea, the American diplomat pointed out. It also projects its power towards the Mediterranean and the Middle East, to protect its own economic interests while curbing those of the United States and of the European Union. Russia will soon have the military power it needs for such goals, he predicted. By 2020, it will have significantly stronger military capabilities, based in Crimea and in some positions in Abkhazia.
Klemm quoted Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, who announced 2.4 billion dollars in expenditure for Russia's Black Sea Fleet, probably resulting in the launch of 18 new warships and of the necessary port infrastructure. According to the ambassador, some of the ships will be submarines, namely six of the Kilo class, among the most silent in the world.
Nevertheless, he said, Russia cannot match the military capabilities of the United States and their allies, Romania included. America is firmly committed to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which stipulates that any attack against a member state is an attack to all allies.
Ambassador Klemm congratulated Romania for fulfiling the promise to increase its defence budget, made at the NATO Summit in Wales, with 1.7 percent of the GDP allocated this year and 2pct planned in 2017, a quota to be maintained for ten years, in accordance with the agreement reached last year by all Romanian political parties. It is an example for all NATO members, and it should be followed by the most efficient upgrade of military forces.
The event was also attended by Romania's Ambassador to Germany Emil Hurezeanu, former Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and former Chief Negotiator with the European Union Vasile Puscas.