NATO represents the most important and successful military alliance in history, which has managed to adjust and reform itself in order to deal with the new threats against security. At the beginning of the 21st century, NATO means a strong political-military organization, a responsible global actor, which entirely fulfills its role of main provider of security and stability.
In the context of a dynamic and unpredictable international security environment, NATO has permanently adjusted to changes, in order to maintain its relevance as a security organization and to increase its efficiency in fighting new threats. Since its creation, the North Atlantic Alliance has gradually diversified its action fields, consolidating its profile of an institution with a major role in ensuring Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
The latest NATO Summit, of November 2006, in Riga, represented an important benchmark in the Alliance’s evolutional process of transformation and adjustment. The Summit of April 2008 will represent an element of continuity between the Riga high-level meeting and the 2009 anniversary summit and will provide the adequate framework for the allies to deal with the challenges of the current security environment, by turning to good account the strategic advantages available to NATO. We hope that the Summit will provide solutions, as well as a series of new developments for the Alliance’s projects meant to contribute to consolidating Euro-Atlantic security. From this perspective, we are convinced that the strengthening of the Alliance’s operational role, under the circumstances of NATO transformation, will be doubled by the development and intensification of formulas for cooperation with the partners.
Romania’s integration in the largest collective defense system has confirmed not only our country’s membership to the system of democratic values, but also our ability to participate actively in NATO’s policies and missions, at the same time consolidating the national contribution to the joint effort to maintain regional and global peace and stability. From this perspective, Romania’s major objective, as regards the defense policy, is to develop the strategic profile within the North Atlantic Alliance.
Since 2004, the moment of Romania’s accession to NATO, the national efforts have had two major directions: fulfillment of the commitments undertaken within NATO, including participation in the Alliance’s entire range of operations and increase of interoperability and capacity for action at multinational level, and supporting the initiatives that aim at developing allied forces and capabilities.
Organizing the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest confirms, once again, the recognition of Romania’s status of a reliable ally, which we have gained inside the Alliance.
This event must confirm the importance that the Member States give to the North Atlantic Alliance, both as a forum for Trans-Atlantic political dialogue, and as a political-military organization, with a military structure holding efficient instruments, which are adapted to the new requirements of the security environment.
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