APRIL 3-4 NATO SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE PART 1 OF 2

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 USNATO 000136

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: NATO MARR PARM PHSA PTER XG ZM XA XF
SUBJECT: APRIL 3-4 NATO SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE PART 1 OF 2


1. (U) The following communique was approved and released by
NATO Heads of State and Government following the Summit of
April 3-4:

BEGIN TEXT:

04 Apr. 2009

Strasbourg / Kehl Summit Declaration Issued by the Heads of
State and Government participating in the meeting of the
North Atlantic Council in Strasbourg / Kehl on 4 April 2009


1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the member
countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, have gathered in
Strasbourg and Kehl to celebrate the 60th anniversary of
NATO. We have adopted a Declaration on Alliance Security
which reaffirms the basic values, principles and purposes of
our Alliance. We have launched the process to develop a new
Strategic Concept which will define NATO's longer-term role
in the new security environment of the 21st century.


2. We warmly welcome Albania and Croatia into our Alliance.
Our nations are united in democracy, individual liberty and
the rule of law, and we reaffirm our adherence to the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
NATO contributes to stability and security, which are the
essential foundations necessary to tackle the global
financial hardships and uncertainty we face. Transatlantic
cooperation remains essential to protect our peoples, defend
our values, and meet common threats and challenges, from
wherever they may come.


3. The indivisibility of our security is a fundamental
principle of the Alliance. We reaffirm our solidarity and our
commitment to the cohesion of the Alliance. We are guided by
these indispensable principles in all fields of our activity.
A strong collective defence of our populations, territory and
forces is the core purpose of the Alliance and remains our
most important security task. NATO's ongoing transformation
will strengthen the Alliance's ability to confront existing
and emerging 21st century security threats, including by
ensuring the provision of fully prepared and deployable
forces able to conduct the full range of military operations
and missions on and beyond its territory, on its periphery
and at strategic distance.


4. The venue of our meeting is a powerful symbol of Europe's
post-World War II reconciliation. The end of the Cold War, 20
years ago, opened the way towards the further consolidation
of Europe into a continent that is truly whole, free and at
peace. NATO has played, and will continue to play, an active
role in that process, by engaging partner countries in
dialogue and cooperation and keeping open the door to NATO
membership in accordance with Article 10 of the Washington
Treaty.


5. We warmly welcome the French decision to fully participate
in NATO structures; this will further contribute to a
stronger Alliance.


6. We express our heartfelt appreciation for the commitment
and bravery of the more than 75,000 men and women from Allied
and other nations who are serving in NATO's missions and
operations. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families
and loved ones of the injured and fallen; their sacrifices in

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advancing the cause of freedom will not be in vain.


7. Today we renew our commitment to a common approach to
address the challenges to peace and security in the
Euro-Atlantic area. We underscore that the existing
structures - NATO, the European Union (EU),the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council
of Europe - based on common values, continue to provide every
opportunity for countries to engage substantively on
Euro-Atlantic security with a broad acquis, established over
decades, that includes respect for human rights; territorial
integrity; the sovereignty of all states, including their
right to decide their own security arrangements; and the
requirement to fulfil international commitments and
agreements.


8. Within this framework, NATO and Allies are open to
dialogue on a broad, cooperative approach to Euro-Atlantic
security, for which the OSCE provides an appropriate,
inclusive format. The common aim of such a dialogue should be
to improve implementation of existing commitments and to
continue to improve existing institutions and instruments so
as to effectively promote our values and Euro-Atlantic
security.


9. Our security is closely tied to Afghanistan's security and
stability. As such, our UN-mandated International Security
Assistance Force mission (ISAF) in Afghanistan, comprising 42
nations, is our key priority. We are working with the
Government and people of Afghanistan, and with the
international community under the leadership of the United
Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Together, in a
comprehensive approach combining military and civilian
resources, we are helping the Government of Afghanistan build
a secure, stable and democratic country, respectful of human
rights. We stress the importance of the protection of women's
rights. The international community aims to ensure that
Al-Qaeda and other violent extremists cannot use Afghanistan
and Pakistan as safe havens from which to launch terrorist
attacks. Today we have issued a Summit Declaration on
Afghanistan in which we reiterate our strategic vision and
set out actions that demonstrate our resolve to support
Afghanistan's long-term security and stability. Afghan
ownership remains crucial for sustained progress. Strong
constructive engagement by countries of the region is also
critical and, to this end, we pledge to reinforce our
cooperation with all Afghanistan's neighbours, especially
Pakistan. We encourage further cooperation between
Afghanistan and Pakistan, and welcome the results of the
third Trilateral Summit in Ankara on 1 April 2009. We also
welcome the outcome of the International Conference on
Afghanistan in The Hague on 31 March 2009.


10. Our commitment to regional security and stability
throughout the Balkans remains steadfast. We praise the
continued excellent work carried out by the robust
UN-mandated NATO-led KFOR to help maintain a safe and secure
environment and freedom of movement for all in Kosovo. We
reiterate that KFOR will remain in Kosovo according to its
operational mandate, on the basis of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1244, unless the Security Council decides
otherwise, cooperating with all relevant actors, to support
the development of a stable, democratic, multi-ethnic and
peaceful Kosovo, as appropriate. We welcome the deployment of
the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, EULEX, and

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encourage all actors to continue their efforts to facilitate
the deployment and full operation of EULEX throughout Kosovo.
The Alliance remains fully committed to supporting the
establishment of the agreed multi-ethnic security structures
in Kosovo. The standing down of the Kosovo Protection Corps,
as well as the establishment of the Kosovo Security Force and
civilian-led oversight, under NATO's close supervision, are
in the interest of all parties. We welcome the progress made
so far in Kosovo and expect full implementation of the
existing commitments to standards, especially those related
to the rule of law and regarding the protection of ethnic
minorities and communities, as well as the protection of
historical and religious sites, and to combating crime and
corruption. We expect all parties concerned in Kosovo to make
further progress towards the consolidation of peace and
order. NATO will continue to assess developments on the
ground in shaping future decisions.


11. We reiterate our willingness to continue providing a
broad range of training support to the Iraqi Security Forces
through the NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) and look
forward to agreement on a revised legal framework as a matter
of urgency. We recall our offer to the Government of Iraq of
a Structured Cooperation Framework as a basis for developing
a long-term relationship, and welcome the progress achieved
towards that end.


12. At the request of the United Nations Secretary-General
and on the basis of relevant United Nations Security Council
resolutions, NATO has taken action against piracy and armed
robbery at sea. We have launched Operation Allied Protector
aimed at conducting maritime operations off the Horn of
Africa in order to help counter piracy and armed robbery at
sea alongside the efforts of other nations and organisations,
especially Combined Task Force 151 and the EU's ATALANTA
operation, which are all complementary in nature. The Contact
Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia plays an important
role in order to facilitate coordination among all actors
involved. Addressing the root causes of piracy requires a
comprehensive approach by the international community. We are
considering options for a possible long-term NATO role to
combat piracy, including by taking into account, as
appropriate, regional requests for maritime
capacity-building.


13. We remain deeply concerned by the continued violence and
atrocities in Darfur and by the expulsion of humanitarian
organisations from Sudan, and call on all parties to cease
hostilities and negotiate in good faith. We are also
concerned by the ongoing violence and the severe humanitarian
crisis in Somalia. We stress the need for a political
settlement and are encouraged by recent developments in the
consolidation of state and government structures. At the
request of the African Union (AU),NATO provided support to
the AU Mission in Somalia through coordination of airlift and
planning assistance. The Alliance is supporting the
development of the AU's long-term peacekeeping capabilities,
including the African Standby Force and its maritime
dimension. Stressing the principle of African ownership, NATO
remains ready to enhance its dialogue with the AU and
consider further requests to support the AU, including for
regional capacity-building.


14. Our Alliance provides an essential transatlantic
dimension to the response against terrorism. We condemn in

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the strongest terms all acts of terrorism as criminal and
unjustifiable, irrespective of their motivations or
manifestations, and are determined to fight this scourge,
individually and collectively, as long as necessary and in
accordance with international law and principles of the UN
Charter. Our nations will continue to contribute to the full
implementation of relevant United Nations Security Council
resolutions (UNSCR),in particular UNSCR 1373, as well as of
the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. We
deplore all loss of life and extend our sympathies to all
those who have suffered from acts of terrorism. We reiterate
our determination to protect against terrorist attacks
against our populations, territories, infrastructure and
forces, and to deal with the consequences of any such
attacks. We will intensify our efforts to deny terrorists
access to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their means
of delivery as underscored in UNSCR 1540. We will continue to
develop advanced technologies to help defend against
terrorist attacks, and we appreciate the role of Partnership
for Peace Training and Education Centres and our Centres of
Excellence in addressing aspects of terrorism. We also remain
committed to strengthening information and intelligence
sharing on terrorism, particularly in support of NATO
missions and operations. We continue to attach great
importance to dialogue and cooperation with our partners in
this important area, including in the framework of the
Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism. We strongly
condemn tactics such as suicide bombing and hostage taking;
the recruitment, particularly of the young and disadvantaged,
for these purposes; as well as terrorist abuse of freedoms
inherent to democratic societies to spread hatred and incite
violence.


15. Since its activation in 2001, Operation Active Endeavour
(OAE),our maritime operation in the Mediterranean which is
conducted in the framework of Article 5 of the North Atlantic
Treaty, has made a significant contribution to the fight
against terrorism. We reiterate our commitment to OAE and
welcome the continued support of partner countries whose
contributions demonstrate both their engagement and NATO's
added value in promoting regional security and stability.


16. As NATO adapts to 21st century challenges in its 60th
anniversary year, it is increasingly important that the
Alliance communicates in an appropriate, timely, accurate and
responsive manner on its evolving roles, objectives and
missions. Strategic communications are an integral part of
our efforts to achieve the Alliance's political and military
objectives. We therefore welcome the improvements in NATO's
strategic communications capability and public diplomacy
efforts that we launched at our 2008 Bucharest Summit,
particularly the enhancements to the NATO HQ Media Operations
Centre, and the increased output of NATO's television channel
on the internet. We underscore our commitment to support
further improvement of our strategic communications by the
time of our next Summit.


17. We welcome the role of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in
promoting the Alliance's principles and values. We also
appreciate the role of the Atlantic Treaty Association in
fostering a better understanding of the Alliance and its
objectives among our publics.


18. Experience in the Balkans and Afghanistan demonstrates
that today's security challenges require a comprehensive

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approach by the international community, combining civil and
military measures and coordination. Its effective
implementation requires all international actors to
contribute in a concerted effort, in a shared sense of
openness and determination, taking into account their
respective strengths and mandates. We welcome the significant
progress achieved, in line with the Action Plan agreed at
Bucharest, to improve NATO's own contribution to such a
comprehensive approach, including through a more coherent
application of its crisis management instruments and efforts
to associate its military capabilities with civilian means.
Progress includes NATO's active promotion of dialogue with
relevant players on operations; the development of a database
of national experts in reconstruction and stabilisation to
advise NATO forces; and the involvement of selected
international organisations, as appropriate, in NATO crisis
management exercises. As part of the international
community's efforts, we reaffirm our commitment to enhancing
NATO's intrinsic contribution to a civil-military approach,
and task the Council in Permanent Session to prepare an
interim report for Foreign Ministers in December 2009 and to
report at our next Summit on further progress with regard to
the implementation of the Action Plan and NATO's ability to
improve the delivery of stabilisation and reconstruction
effects. We also encourage other actors to intensify their
efforts in the same spirit.


19. More than a decade of cooperation between NATO and the
United Nations, especially in the Balkans and Afghanistan,
has demonstrated the value of effective and efficient
coordination between our two organisations. Last year's Joint
UN-NATO Declaration represents a major step in our developing
cooperation and will significantly contribute to addressing
the threats and challenges faced by the international
community. It also reaffirms our willingness to consider,
within our respective mandates and capabilities, requests for
assistance to regional and sub-regional organisations, as
appropriate. We are committed to its full implementation in
cooperation with the UN. We welcome progress achieved so far,
particularly in enhancing dialogue and improving liaison
arrangements, and look forward to a report on further
progress at our next Summit.


20. NATO and the EU share common values and strategic
interests. In this light, NATO and the EU are working
together and side by side in key crisis management operations
and are cooperating, inter alia, in the fight against
terrorism, in the development of coherent and mutually
reinforcing military capabilities and in civil emergency
planning, and will continue to do so. NATO recognises the
importance of a stronger and more capable European defence,
and welcomes the EU's efforts to strengthen its capabilities
and its capacity to address common security challenges that
both NATO and the EU face today. These developments have
significant implications and relevance for the Alliance as a
whole, which is why NATO stands ready to support and work
with the EU in such mutually reinforcing efforts, recognising
the ongoing concerns of Allies. Non-EU Allies have made, and
continue to make, significant contributions to these efforts.
In this context, we continue to believe it important that all
possible efforts should be made by all those involved in
these endeavours, and also to render possible the fullest
involvement of non-EU Allies. Since we last met in Bucharest,
various initiatives have been taken as part of the continuing
effort to improve the NATO-EU strategic partnership, as

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agreed by our two organisations. We are also willing to
explore ways to further intensify work in the framework of
the NATO- EU Capability Group. Success in these and future
cooperative endeavours calls for enhanced mutual commitment
to ensure effective methods of working together. We are
therefore determined to improve the NATO-EU strategic
partnership, as agreed by our two organisations, to achieve
closer cooperation and greater efficiency, and to avoid
unnecessary duplication in a spirit of transparency,
respecting the autonomy of the two organisations.


21. In accordance with Article 10 of the Washington Treaty,
NATO's door will remain open to all European democracies
which share the values of our Alliance, which are willing and
able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of
membership, and whose inclusion can contribute to common
security and stability.


22. We reiterate our agreement at the Bucharest Summit to
extend an invitation to the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the
name issue has been reached within the framework of the UN,
and urge intensified efforts towards that goal. We will
continue to support and assist the reform efforts of the
Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We
welcome the recent decision by the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia to increase its contribution to ISAF.


23. We remain committed to the Balkans, which is a
strategically important region, where Euro-Atlantic
integration, based on democratic values and regional
cooperation, remains necessary for lasting peace and
stability. We acknowledge the important role played by the
South East Europe Initiative and the Adriatic Charter in
fostering regional cooperation, building confidence, and
facilitating the Euro-Atlantic integration process of the
Western Balkans.


24. We welcome the Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations of
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro as well as progress
made in NATO's Intensified Dialogue on membership issues with
both countries.


25. We welcome Montenegro's successful and active
implementation of its current Individual Partnership Action
Plan (IPAP) with NATO. We are encouraged by the reforms it
has made in a number of areas that are essential to its
Euro-Atlantic integration and also by its contributions to
cooperation and security in the region. We are looking
forward to Montenegro's further determined efforts in this
regard. The Council in Permanent Session is keeping
Montenegro's progress under active review and will respond
early to its request to participate in the Membership Action
Plan (MAP),on its own merits.


26. We welcome progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina's
cooperation with NATO, including through implementation of
its current IPAP, and acknowledge the country's expressed
intention to apply for MAP at an appropriate time. We welcome
Bosnia and Herzegovina's decision to contribute to ISAF. We
are encouraged by the ongoing political process, and urge
that the widest possible consensus be found on the
fundamental challenges facing the country. Nevertheless, we
remain deeply concerned that irresponsible political rhetoric
and actions continue to hinder substantive progress in

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reform. We urge Bosnia and Herzegovina's political leaders to
take further genuine steps to strengthen state-level
institutions and reinvigorate the reform process to advance
the country's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.


27. We welcome Serbia's first Individual Partnership
Programme with NATO as a sound basis for substantial
practical cooperation. NATO welcomes, and continues to
support, the Government's stated commitment to Serbia's
integration into the Euro-Atlantic community of nations. We
stand ready to further develop our partnership, in particular
through elaboration of an IPAP and continued support to
Serbia's defence reform efforts. All NATO partnership
opportunities for political consultation and practical
cooperation remain open to Serbia. The will and performance
of the Serbian authorities are crucial for the further
deepening of our partnership. We call upon Serbia to support
further progress towards the consolidation of peace and order
in Kosovo.


28. We acknowledge the progress achieved in terms of
cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY). However, Serbia must cooperate
fully with ICTY, as must Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we will
closely monitor their respective efforts in this regard.


29. Stability and successful political and economic reform in
Ukraine and Georgia are important to Euro- Atlantic security.
At Bucharest we agreed that Ukraine and Georgia will become
members of NATO and we reaffirm all elements of that decision
as well as the decisions taken by our Ministers of Foreign
Affairs last December. We are maximising our advice,
assistance and support for their reform efforts in the
framework of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and NATO-Georgia
Commission, which play a central role in supervising the
process set in hand at the Bucharest Summit. We welcome in
particular the planned reinforcement of NATO's Information
and Liaison Offices in Kyiv and Tbilisi. Without prejudice to
further decisions which must be taken about MAP, the
development of Annual National Programmes will help Georgia
and Ukraine in advancing their reforms. The annual review of
these programmes will allow us to continue to closely monitor
Georgia and Ukraine's progress on reforms related to their
aspirations for NATO membership. We also welcome the valuable
contributions made by both countries to NATO's operations.


30. We remain convinced that the mutually beneficial
relationship between NATO and Ukraine, launched twelve years
ago with the Distinctive Partnership, will continue to
contribute to regional and Euro-Atlantic security. In this
context, we appreciate Ukraine's valuable contributions to
our common security, including through participation in
NATO-led operations. We encourage Ukraine's continued efforts
to promote regional security and cooperation. We underscore
the importance of Ukraine's commitment to continue
implementing needed political, economic, defence and security
sector reforms, in order to achieve its Euro-Atlantic
aspirations, and we will continue to provide assistance to
this end. Political stability is of crucial importance to the
successful implementation of these reforms.


31. The NATO-Georgia relationship has deepened substantially
in the past year. We remain committed to fostering political
dialogue with, as well as providing assistance to Georgia. We
strongly encourage Georgia to continue implementing all

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necessary reforms, particularly democratic, electoral, and
judicial reforms, in order to achieve its Euro-Atlantic
aspirations. We reiterate our continued support for the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its
internationally recognised borders.


32. We encourage all participants in the Geneva talks to play
a constructive role as well as to continue working closely
with the OSCE, UN and the EU to pursue peaceful conflict
resolution on Georgia's territory. We welcome as a positive
step the agreement reached in the framework of the Geneva
talks on joint incident prevention and response mechanisms
and we urge all the participants involved to engage in their
rapid implementation. We note the renewal of the mandate for
the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and the roll-over
of the mandate for the OSCE Military Monitors. We call for a
new mandate for the OSCE Mission to Georgia as well as for
unimpeded access for UN, EU, and OSCE observers throughout
all of Georgia, including the regions of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. We are concerned by the continued tensions and
violence along the administrative boundary lines and call on
all parties to demonstrate restraint.


33. The NATO-Russia partnership was conceived as a strategic
element in fostering security in the Euro- Atlantic area, and
we remain committed to it. Dialogue and cooperation between
NATO and Russia are important for our joint ability to meet
effectively common security threats and challenges. We
reaffirm the importance of upholding the common values and
all the principles enshrined in the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding
Act and the 2002 Rome Declaration by all members of the
NATO-Russia Council. Our relations with Russia depend on
trust and the fulfilment of commitments. Since our last
Summit, dialogue and cooperation with Russia have suffered
from profound disagreements on a number of issues. The
Alliance will continue to assess developments in relations
with Russia.


34. We urge Russia to meet its commitments with respect to
Georgia, as mediated by the European Union on 12 August2 and
8 September 2008. In this context, we view Russia's
withdrawal from the areas it has committed to leave as
essential. We have welcomed steps taken to implement those
commitments, but the withdrawal is still incomplete. The
Alliance has condemned Russia's recognition of the South
Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia as independent
states, and continues to call on Russia to reverse its
recognition which contravenes the founding values and
principles of the NATO-Russia Council, the OSCE principles on
which the security of Europe is based, and the United Nations
Security Council resolutions regarding Georgia's territorial
integrity, which Russia endorsed. In addition, the buildup of
Russia's military presence in the Georgian regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia without the consent of the
Government of Georgia is of particular concern.


35. Despite our current disagreements, Russia is of
particular importance to us as a partner and neighbour. NATO
and Russia share common security interests, such as the
stabilisation of Afghanistan; arms control, disarmament, and
non-proliferation of WMD, including their means of delivery;
crisis management; counter-terrorism; counter-narcotics; and
anti-piracy. Following through with the decisions taken by
the Foreign Ministers at their meetings in December 2008 and
March 2009, we look forward to the reconvening of formal

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NATO-Russia Council meetings, including at Ministerial level,
as soon as possible before summer 2009. We are committed to
using the NATO-Russia Council as a forum for political
dialogue on all issues - where we agree and disagree - with a
view towards resolving problems, addressing concerns and
building practical cooperation. We are convinced that the
NATO-Russia Council has not exploited its full potential. We
therefore stand ready, in the NATO-Russia Council, to assess
possibilities for making it a more efficient and valuable
instrument for our political dialogue and practical
cooperation.


36. Twenty years ago, an historic wave of democratic change
swept through Central and Eastern Europe. NATO took this
opportunity to engage countries across the Euro-Atlantic area
in partnership and cooperation with a view to fostering
security, stability and democratic transformation. We
reiterate our commitment to further develop the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council (EAPC) and Partnership for Peace (PfP) as
the essential framework for substantive political dialogue
and practical cooperation, including enhanced military
interoperability. We welcome the offer of Kazakhstan to host
the EAPC Security Forum for the first time in Central Asia in
June. We thank our Partners for their significant
contributions to our operations. We will continue to develop
EAPC policy initiatives. In this regard, we welcome the work
of the EAPC in education and training activities, and
encourage national educational institutions to contribute to
these efforts. We also encourage the EAPC to further develop
the Building Integrity initiative which promotes transparency
and accountability in the defence sector, and to report back
to us on this initiative at our next Summit. We remain
actively engaged with our Partners in supporting the
implementation of UNSCR 1325 on women, peace and security,
with the aim of having a comprehensive set of measures in
place by autumn 2010. We are also contributing with our
Partners to international efforts to put an end to the
trafficking in human beings.


37. Peace and stability in the Mediterranean region are
essential for Euro-Atlantic security. For the past fifteen
years, NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue has provided a valuable
forum, including meetings at Ministerial level, for
consultations and cooperation with our Mediterranean partners
on a wide range of issues, and we welcome their significant
contributions to Alliance-led operations and missions. We are
convinced that joint ownership remains essential to the
success of our relationship. We welcome the finalisation last
month of an Individual Cooperation Programme (ICP) with
Jordan, following those already concluded with Israel and
Egypt, as well as the recent initiatives from Morocco and
Tunisia in this field. Against a challenging background in
the Middle East and much welcomed renewed international
commitment to build peace in the region, we stand ready to
further enhance our political dialogue and practical
cooperation with all our Mediterranean partners, including
through the continued use of Trust Funds on a voluntary
basis. We look forward to the restoration of constitutional
rule in Mauritania, which will allow the resumption of its
full participation in the Mediterranean Dialogue.


End Part 1 of the Text. Part 2 sent septel.
REID