NATO Secretary General calls for more defence and more dialogue
Szöveg: honvedelem.hu / nato.int | 2016. február 17. 9:00In a keynote speech at the Munich Security Conference, NATO Secretary General focused on the security challenges stemming from the East. He made clear that the Alliance does not seek confrontation and does not want a new Cold War, but will respond firmly. He made clear that the response lies with “both more defence and more dialogue.”
He stressed that dialogue is important to address transparency and risk reduction, as well as issues on which NATO and Russia have deep divisions, such as Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Mr Stoltenberg said that he had agreed with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “to explore the possibility for convening a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council." But he stressed that political engagement had never been suspended and that it does not mean “a return to business as usual."
On the margins of the Munich Security Conference, the Secretary General met President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine. He stressed NATO’s continued commitment to supporting Ukraine politically and practically, the need for continued reforms, and commended the country on the recent signature of its Annual National Programme with NATO.
The Secretary General also thanked Prime Minister Manuel Valls for France’s contributions to NATO. They discussed the security challenges from the south, and NATO’s contribution to dealing with the refugee and migrant crisis. Mr Stoltenberg also held separate meetings with German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. They reviewed current security challenges and stressed the need for close cooperation between NATO and the EU in tackling the greatest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the end of World War Two.
