Foreign Minister Aivis Ronis: Latvia’s priority in context of NATO reform and Strategic Concept is politically united and operationally capable alliance
By admin at 20 July, 2010, 3:32 pm
On 14 July, Foreign Minister Aivis Ronis met with Admiral James Stavridis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). During the meeting, the parties discussed NATO’s internal reforms, the new Strategic Concept, and the operation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
“Maximum use should be made of the process for the development of a new NATO Strategic Concept in order to strengthen solidarity within the Alliance. The debate held to date on the new Strategic Concept has brought the allies closer together, and also in the future we wish to see successful development of this process. NATO’s internal reforms, for their part, should have as their aim to introduce effective administration and capabilities in line with the tasks defined in the Strategic Concept,” Foreign Minister Ronis emphasised.
During the discussion, the Foreign Minister accentuated the significance of the NATO partnership policies, where, alongside with the formation of broader partnerships with individual countries, it is vital to forge closer institutional relations with the European Union.
When speaking about Afghanistan, Minister Ronis stressed that “the success of the international community depends on the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces to assume control of security in the country, as well as on the capacity of the civilian structures to implement an effective public administration”. The Minister also noted Latvia’s assistance in the transit of the ISAF non-military cargo through the ports of Latvia, which could potentially become a trade route between Europe and Central Asia.
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