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Mr. President,  Authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to be here today in this charming city, in my new role as President of the Italian Atlantic Committee and I am grateful to my colleague, Mr. Kannik, for the opportunity  given us to discuss about Democracy, human rights, socio-economic development as a mean to deepen democratic values and regional cooperation.

The issues are linked: social-economic development represents a prerequisite for the accomplishment of full and complete Democracy, as well as full respect of human rights all over the world; regional cooperation as well as "out of area" cooperation are indispensable to assure stability and security.  
The world is constantly challenged by new threats: terrorism, illegal trafficking of all kinds, international organized crime, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and so on.

NATO has evolved greatly and yet has to continuously adapt or refocus its role to new emerging situations unforeseen and unforeseeable.
More generally, it must be brought out that, in the historical experience of the signatories of the Washington Treaty, the essence of the Atlantic Alliance has been political solidarity, which defense provisions have protected and not imposed, allowing a common denominator of aspirations and expectations to develop.
In that sense, the promotion and protection of democracy and human rights have always been a part and parcel of NATO's mission, which is now being put at the disposal of other countries in the wider Europe, undergoing reintegration, as well as in its vicinity, for the benefit of all countries concerned.

Indeed, I recall that, when I was a young student with a grant from NATO to conduct in the seventies a comparative study on the Allied National defence budgets, I happened to read the 1967 Harmel Report: I was amazed to note how farsighted it was in stating that The North Atlantic Treaty area cannot be treated in isolation from the rest of the world. Crises and conflicts arising outside the area may impair its security either directly or by affecting the global balance.
Pierre Harmel as Manlio Brosio, than NATO Secretary General and former President of the Italian Atlantic Committee, were certainly on the right track and nowadays it is fully proven.

Stability and security are not based any longer on the balance of power as much as on cooperation, and stability and security must be assured all over the world.
For this we have a great responsibility and, in preserving our own remarkable identities, we intend to cooperate for the success of  the values we believe in. It is a goal that we believe a must to achieve.
Consequently NATO has, to a great extent, shed its hard-security hat, as it undertakes peace-support operations that imply civil rehabilitation as well as law enforcement tasks and it ensured essential operational capabilities to the endeavors of the United Nations and the EU, particularly in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, with  additional incoming tasks in Iraq.
Much talk, of a conceptual, practical and political nature, has been devoted to the suitability of military structures, and therefore of NATO going "out of area" in dealing with what are essentially civil crisis management purposes, with the expansion of democracy and protection of human rights in tow.

Democracy and human rights must now be our guiding light and, in a cooperative effort, we must unite to defend this goal from contrary forces.
Let me emphasise that the Alliance was and remains in the first place a union of shared values and common interests in addition to being a military Alliance. As such its mission can not be seen as being confined merely to providing security, but must encompass, as its political role grows, the dissemination of the fundamental values that underpin our societies:  democracy, freedom and rule of law.

A mention needs the EAPC Action Plan Against Terrorism because it is  evidence that no Ally or Partner can be neutral when faced with the new security challenges of today as it is proven by NATO wide engagement in:

• Building a free and democratic Afghanistan;asd
• Establishing relationships and cooperation in the broader Middle East;
• Playing a decisive role in the Balkans, aimed at the full integration of the region in the Euro-Atlantic structures;
• Supporting the African Union in Darfur;
• Helping the Iraqi Government to pave the way towards a stable democracy.
  

All these actions occur also thanks to the harmonious context in which we are operating and in this context it is worth mentioning the reliable cooperation with the Russian Federation as well as partnerships with Ukraine and in the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf.

In many of the mentioned areas, Italy is entrusted with the highest responsibilities: leading the Kfor in Kosovo, the ISAF** mission in Afghanistan, and, as of next December, the European Union mission Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A commitment involving more than ten thousand Italian military personnel in areas of operations and conducted by Italy in a comprehensive way, taking into account the complementary use of political, economic, and social measures, which represent the necessary mix to successfully reinforce and extend peace and stability.
In Kosovo, KFOR represents at present the most considerable peace keeping mission  in progress under the Alliance responsibilities, with a force of seventeen thousand persons of which 2.600 from Italy.
In Afghanistan, with more than two thousand men out of a total of 12.400, Italy is leading a mission aimed at stabilizing the Country, assuring the security frame for the correct carrying out of democratic elections, held last September 18, with satisfaction of international observers led by former EU Commissioner Emma Bonino.
As far as Iraq is concerned, any past difference among the members seems to be overcome and, according to Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, training and equipment to Baghdad will be provided, and Italy, Germany and Norway will also provide training for Iraqi troops
.
Before concluding, I am willing to underline the positive and constructive role, a twofold role, that ATA still can  play in shaping a better world:

• A Political one, aimed at promoting dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean and the Broader Middle East;
• An Educational one, toward successor generations.
  

A challenging process to which the Italian Government, the Italian Atlantic Committee and I personally will be glad to contribute. A fundamental process for promoting and expanding Democracy and human rights, the never-ending core values of our Euro-Atlantic Community and the main subject of the incoming discussions of  this General Assembly.

Thank you for your attention