50 Years Later: the Lessons Learned by the Committee of Three and the Perspective of Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Western Balkans

Fabrizio W. Luciolli

Secretary General of the Italian Atlantic Committee

Tirana, 19th November 2006

Lange, Martino, Pearson

At the Riga Summit NATO is called to define the future path of the Alliance and a global and comprehensive strategy to counter the new threats and challenges of the present security scenario.
 
At the same time, the Riga Summit marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Committee of Three - composed of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gaetano Martino and his Canadian and Norwegian colleagues, Lester B. Pearson and Halvard Lange - established by NATO in 1956 to explore the ways to strengthen cohesion, solidarity, and to develop greater unity within the Atlantic Community.
 
However, the link between Riga and the Committee of Three goes beyond this historical coincidence and anniversary. Like today, it also appeared evident at that time to the Committee that "Certain questions now take on a new urgency. Have NATO's needs and objectives changed, or should they be changed? Is the Organization operating satisfactorily in the altered circumstances of 1956? If not what can be done about it? There is the even more far-reaching question: "Can a loose association of sovereign states hold together at all without the common binding force of fear?" (Point 22)
 
The answer to those questions was a very important Report on the Non-Military Cooperation endorsed by the North Atlantic Council on December 13th, 1956.
"From the very beginning of NATO, then, it was recognized that while defense cooperation was the first and most urgent requirement, this was not enough. It has also become increasingly realized since the Treaty was signed that security is today far more than a military matter. The strengthening of political consultation and economic cooperation, the development of resources, progress in education and public understanding, all these can be as important, or even more important, for the protection of the security of a nation, or an alliance, as the building of a battleship or the equipping of an army." (Point. 15)
 
Moreover, this far-sighted Report was already looking beyond the Treaty area, and stated that "NATO should not forget that the influence and interests of its members are not confined to the area covered by the Treaty, and that common interests of the Atlantic Community can be seriously affected by developments outside the Treaty area. Therefore, while striving to improve their relations with each other, and to strengthen and deepen their own unity, they should also be concerned with harmonizing their policies in relation to other areas, taking into account the broader interests of the whole international community; particularly in working through the United Nations and elsewhere for the maintenance of international peace and security and for the solution of the problems that now divide the world." (Point 32)
 
The out of area principle was already sanctioned by the Report. A global approach towards the security problems was also envisaged. The statement regarding the need of a comprehensive and multi-dimensional strategy, together with other global partners and international organisations, fits perfectly in today's Riga agenda and recalls recent lessons learned from the Balkans.
 
Today, all international organizations, in a complementary way, are engaged in the Balkans to provide a multi-dimensional answer to the region's needs. A few kilometers away from here, democratic discussions regarding the geopolitical future of the region are taking place and the UN, NATO, EU - in their respective roles - as well as the countries involved in the stability of the region, are devoting all their efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement. They also must be ready to foster their cooperation in order to implement the decisions that will be agreed upon.
 
However, the way to improve stability in the Balkans must be paved by a comprehensive and global strategy of cooperation and integration: an integration process progressively leading all countries in the region to membership in the Euro-Atlantic institutions.
 
In this regard, the definition of the future status of Kosovo under the auspices of the UN is a crucial element for the stability of the region. And the EU is expected to play in Kosovo a stronger role in the areas of police and rule of law, as well as economic affairs.
 
Nevertheless, the Euro-Atlantic perspective of integration of the Western Balkans does not depend on the kind of status that will be chosen for Kosovo.
The Declaration on Western Balkans, issued on 15-16 June 2006 by the European Council, clearly states that the future of the region lies in the Euro-Atlantic structure.
This perspective will not change. Neither the present EU enlargement scepticism nor the question of absorption capacity of the European Union can steer the integration process of the Western Balkans.
In this respect at the Riga Summit NATO is called to send a clear signal regarding the full integration process of the Western Balkans in the Atlantic Community as well as on the open door policy.
 
However, a perspective of integration and association will be possible only if coupled with a strong commitment of the countries of the region in order to develop, update, and adapt their legislation to the European standards in different fields: ranging from the security field to the economy, to the enforcement of democratic and effective institutions, to strong countermeasures against organized crime.
 
In this context, regional cooperation is of the utmost importance in order to improve economic development, social stability, and security in the region.
These three pillars are at the basis of the Stability Pact launched in 1999, and are strictly interdependent, since democracy and respect for human rights, economic and social development, can be achieved only in a safe and stable area, and vice versa.
 
Economic and social development in the region should be based on two primary goals and objectives.
 
First, liberalization of trade in the region through cooperation in the customs field and by breaking the internal dividing lines and barriers in the region, which are not permitting the integration of the local economies in a wider commercial and trade system.
 
In this respect, the new Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) agreement that will be concluded under the auspices of the Stability Pact next December 2006, will replace the existing network of 32 bilateral FTAs and will harmonise trade rules across the region and incorporate new provisions, such as trade in services, intellectual property rights, public procurement, and investment promotion.
 
The second objective and goal is to promote the development of infrastructures for the entire South Eastern European region. This constitutes a crucial aspect for the success of the economic development process. In fact, the development of an infrastructure framework in the area represents the fundamental condition to attract private investments and to develop a solid commercial web of small and medium companies and industries.
 
Moreover, political and financial efforts to assist the region must promote local and regional commercial actors and subjects. It is imperative to avoid the errors that jeopardized the reconstruction process in Bosnia, where over the 50% of the consumption is financed by international aids.
 
Despite the wounds and traumas suffered by the region, these years have witnessed the establishment, within a relatively short period of time, of good-neighbourly relations. However, these relations are still fragile and need to be reinforced by strong cooperation at the international, national, and local level.
 
NATO and the other international security organizations are particularly active in supporting the security sector reforms (SSR). In this area there are few security challenges that can be handled by individual states and many that need to be addressed in a regional and international context of cooperation, such as terrorism, illegal trafficking, and organized crime.
Implementing SSR in the region also entails a comprehensive approach that embraces various security sectors such as armed forces, police, justice.
 
In the light of the NATO and EU perspective of integration many other reforms have been also promoted.
 
In the economic field, notwithstanding the reforms that have brought the region closer to European standards, still many challenges lie ahead. In fact, the economic transition implied changes in the basic functioning of the economies in the region and caused an increase of unemployment. It is clear that amidst the crucial political developments taking place in the region, we cannot limit our efforts in addressing the problems of economy and employment, since it is in fact the most important topic people are facing on a daily basis.
 
The efforts and the cooperation spent today by the international community in the region are not diminishing the role of bilateral cooperation between the countries.
 
In this respect, let me mention the role of Italy that is devoting a major effort to the stability and development of this region, which we feel close to us not only because of its geographical proximity.
 
However, the success of the bilateral, regional and international efforts requires a strong commitment of the local leaders to move their countries with confidence towards the Euro-Atlantic values and institutions.
 
In this regard, the parliamentary dimension and the successor generations are also key targets to be addressed. In this field the Atlantic Treaty Association, and in particular the Atlantic Council of Albania, are playing a relevant role. Among several initiatives promoted, I would like to recall the joint meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Atlantic Council of Albania, which took place in Tirana last April.
 
Such activities recall, once again, the lessons of the Committee of Three that fifty years ago told us that "A sense of community must bind the people as well as the institutions of the Atlantic nations... it is important, therefore, for the NATO countries to promote cultural cooperation among their peoples by all practical means in order to strengthen their unity and develop maximum support for the Alliance. It is particularly important that this cultural cooperation should be wider than continental. The Committee welcomes the measures for cultural cooperation within the Atlantic Community which have been initiated by private individuals and non-governmental groups. These should be encouraged and increased." (Point. 73)
 
In over ten years of activities, the Atlantic Council of Albania provided an extraordinary contribution in this field, promoting stability and peace in the region.
Today's international conference - attended as usual by representatives from so many countries interested in the stability of the region - confirms the great role always played by the Atlantic Council of Albania, even during difficult seasons.
And it is in the spirit of the cultural cooperation envisaged by the Committee of Three that I wish to conclude by congratulating the Atlantic Council of Albania and its leadership for these relevant achievements.