The Canadian NATO
Parliamentary Association has the honour to present its report respecting its
participation in the Spring Session 2011 of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,
held in Varna, Bulgaria 27-30 May. Canada was represented by Senator Raynell
Andreychuk, Senator Jane Cordy, Senator Joseph A. Day, Senator Pierre Claude
Nolin, Mr. James Latimer, Executive Secretary and Mr. Wolgang Koerner, Analyst.
The spring session
was opened by the President of the Assembly Dr. Karl A. Lamers (Germany). Dr.
Lamers noted that the major themes before the Alliance were “...collective
defence, operations in Afghanistan, cyber-security, relations with Russia, the
High North, the implementation of NATO’s new Strategic Concept, human rights,
and communications.” The President also addressed the major events of the Arab
Spring. He hoped that, while the outcome of the events could not be predicted,
“...that some new regimes will emerge which are committed to democracy,
individual liberty, and human rights.” Lamers also went on to argue that it
was the duty of the Assembly to help promote positive changes if so asked. He
concluded by saying that “we know from our own recent history that we can
assist nations in making the transition from authoritarian rule to parliamentary
democracy.
After the opening
remarks of Dr. Lamers, the assembly was addressed by Her Excellency Tsetksa
Tsacheva, Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament. After welcoming delegates, the
Speaker noted that Bulgaria’s participation in NATO rests on several strong
pillars including, “...the need to further strengthen the Organization and its
political and military capabilities, the fundamental role of the Euro-Atlantic
link, Bulgaria’s drive toward a continual enhancement of security through the implementation
of a coherent and consistent regional policy, and its firm resolve to
strengthen the capabilities of the Bulgarian Army so as to ensure it remains a
useful and competent player on the global security scene.” Ms. Tsetska also
spoke of the problems and challenges presented by the economic crisis. In this
vein she also noted that, despite economic exigencies, the security of member
countries still needs to be assured. She concluded by suggesting that it was
everyone’s duty to “...explore every possibility for smarter management of the
security sector whilst pursuing this endeavour with greater cost efficiency.”
Delegates also
heard from Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO. In his
speech, the Secretary General noted “...that NATO will remain an effective
alliance as long as member nations maintain their firm commitments –
politically, financially, and through their capacities and that parliamentarian
have a unique responsibility in this regard.” He also noted, inter alia, that
the arrest of the indicted former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic offered
“...a chance for justice to be done and for the entire Balkan region to move
closer to Euro-Atlantic integration.”
The Assembly also
adopted the Draft Report of the Treasurer, Senator Pierre Claude Nolin
(Canada).
The meeting of the
Defence and Security Committee was opened by the Chair, Senator Joseph Day
(Canada). During its deliberations, the Committee first heard from Mr. Anyu
Angelov, the Bulgarian Minister of Defence. Mr. Angelov gave an overview of
the reforms undertaken in Bulgaria’s defence sector. These ongoing reforms
were based on a new White Paper on Defence and the Armed Forces and the 2011
National Security Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria. In his remarks he also
stressed the ongoing role of Parliamentary oversight throughout the reform
process. The Minister also informed delegates that Bulgaria was committed to
the policy of Smart Defence as outlined in NATO’s New Strategic Concept. He
was also supportive of the continuing reform of NATO’s agencies and command
structures. The Committee then heard from General Simeon Simeonov, Chief of
Defence, Bulgaria, on Bulgarian defence reform. Having outlined the substance
and progress of the various reforms, General Simeonov then informed delegates
that the Bulgarian Armed Forces were to be cut by 7,000 personnel from its
current strength of 44,000. The Committee also received a briefing from John
Koenig, Political Advisor to the Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Naples,
on Operation Unified Protector.
Finally, the
Committee was given a briefing by Dr. William Potter, Director of the James
Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies and Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar
Professor of Non-Proliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International
Studies, on Next steps in US-Russia Arms Control. In his talk, Dr. Potter
“...outlined key aspects of the future U.S.-Russian relations. These aspects
included the issue of: the rhetoric and reality of non-strategic nuclear weapons;
the potential for new, meaningful, confidence building measures; the continuing
divergence of nuclear threat perceptions within and between NATO and non-NATO
members; and the impact of NATO’s evolving nuclear prospects for further U.S.
and Russian reductions.” In concluding his presentation he put forward several
suggestions for arms reductions. First, he suggested that discussions “...need
to be informed of the congruence and divergence of threat perceptions and may
be facilitated by NGO’s and the NATO-Russia Council.” Second, he also noted
that a broad framework “...for discussing a wider package of agreements on
non-deployed nuclear warheads, advanced, long-range conventional arms, missile
defence, third-party nuclear forces and non-strategic nuclear weapons.” Third,
he concluded that “...confidence building measures need to be increased,
especially around the issues of data exchange, de-alerting, warhead storage
security and the reduced operational status of weapons.”
Following the
presentations delegates turned their attention to the consideration of the
Committee’s various draft reports. These included:
·Draft Report of the Sub-Committee on
Transatlantic Defence and Security Cooperation, NATO Operations under a new
Strategic Concept and the EU as an Operational Partner, by Nicole Ameline
(France), Rapporteur.
·Draft General Report Transition in
Afghanistan: Assessing the Security Effort, by Sven Miksar, (Estonia) General
Rapporteur.
·Draft Report of the Sub-Committee on Future
Security and Defence Capabilities, Missile Defence: The Way Ahead for NATO, by
Raymond Knops, (Netherlands), Rapporteur.
Proceedings of the
Political Committee were opened by the Chair Senator Raynell Andreychuk
(Canada). The Committee then heard from Mr. Nickolay E. Mladenov, Foreign
minister of Bulgaria, on NATO’s New Strategic Concept, New Partnerships, and
New Challenges: The View from Bulgaria. In his remarks Mr. Mladenov stressed
the importance of the Lisbon summit and the need to implement the decisions
made by the Heads of State and Government. He noted that the Strategic concept
“...laid out a vision which not only identified new challenges, such as cyber
threats and energy security, but also presented the tools for addressing them.”
He also explained that the Strategic Concept contained three key policy areas
of particular importance for Bulgaria, namely a reference to the Western
Balkans, energy security, and the continuation of NATO’s open door policy.
With respect to the Western Balkans the Minister suggested that “that area
won’t be complete until all the states of the region joined the Alliance.
The Committee was
also addressed by Professor Bichara Khader, Université Catholique de Louvain,
Belgium, on Coming out of The Dark: Arab Democratic Revolutions, What the West
Can Do. Professor Khader explained “...these revolts were carried out by a
liberal-minded youth that was seeking economic opportunities – something they
had not enjoyed, given the nature and corruption of many regimes, which made
long term economic growth impossible.” He also provided a detailed overview of
the demographics and levels of education in the region, whose population had
quadrupled in the past 55 years. At the forefront of the protests, he argued,
“...stood highly-educated young women who were urbanized and who refused to
return to the domestic lifestyle demanded by some theocrats.”
Following Professor
Khader, delegates heard from Dr. Christian Wagner, Head, Asia Research
Division, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, on Recent
Developments in Pakistan and Their Impact on Afghanistan. Dr. Wagner spoke
about recent developments in Pakistan and their impact on Afghanistan. He
explained that Pakistan’s interests in Pakistan were three layered. First, “
to counter India’s influence and encirclement in the region: second to counter
Afghanistan’s territorial claims, specifically regarding the Durand Line; and
third, to counter Iran’s support for Shia groups.”
Once the
presentations were complete the Committee went on to consider its various draft
reports. These included:
·Draft General Report on The Rise of China and
Possible Implications for NATO, by Assen Agov (Bulgaria), General Rapporteur
·Draft report of the Sub-Committee on NATO
Partnerships, on Belarus: A Difficult Partner, by Daniel Bacquelaine
(Belgium), Rapporteur
·Draft Report of the Sub-Committee on
Afghanistan, on The Regional Context, by John Dyrby Paulsen (Denmark),
Rapporteur.
The proceedings of
the Science and Technology Committee were opened by the Chair Jan Arild
Ellingsen (Norway). The Committee was then addressed by Mr. Traycho Traykov,
Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, on A Bulgarian Perspective
on Energy Security. The Minister told delegates that Bulgaria “...had to
maintain a robust energy supply strategy. Given recent events such as the
cut-off of energy supplies due to diplomatic tensions between Russia and
Ukraine in 2009, Bulgaria was, in particular, exploring new distribution routes
and aiming to maximize the use of domestic sources of energy.” He also noted
that Bulgaria hoped to have sixteen percent of its energy from renewable
sources by 2020.
The Committee next
heard from Professor Joachim von Braun, Director of the Center for Development
Research and Professor for Economics and Technological Change, University of
Bonn, on Food Insecurity and Security: Required Short and Long-Term Actions.
Professor von Braun provided the Committee with an overview of food security
problems and argued that “...spending on agricultural research and
development...was among the most effective investment strategies for promoting
economic growth and reducing poverty.” He also suggested that subsidies be
stopped for bio-fuel production until food price stability could be assured.
The Committee also
heard from Mr. William C. Ramsay, Director of Energy program, Institut français
des relations internationales, on Nuclear Electricity after Fukushima. Mr.
Ramsay spoke on the events of the Japanese nuclear meltdown, analysing the
accident itself, the energy implications for Japan, as well as the world wide
public and political reaction regarding nuclear energy.
After the
presentations the Committee dealt with its various draft reports. These
included:
·The Draft Special Report on Countering the
Afghan Insurgency: Low-Tech Threats, High-Tech Solutions, by Senator Pierre
Claude Nolin, (Canada) Special Rapporteur.
·The Draft Report of the Sub-Committee on
Energy and Environmental Security on Food and Water Security: Implications for
the Euro-Atlantic Security, by Philippe Vitel (France), Rapporteur.
·The Draft General Report on Countering
Biological and Chemical Threats: The Way Forward, by David Scott (United
States), General Rapporteur.
The meeting of the
Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security was opened by the Chair Jo Ann
Emerson (United States). The Committee then heard from Mr. Kenneth Geers, US
Representative NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. His topic
was, From Cambridge to Lisbon: the Quest for Strategic Cyber Defense. In
his presentation, “Mr. Geers focused on the relationship between connectivity
and security. He argued that because compromising any computer is becoming
increasingly easier, the issue of cyber security has gained on its
prominence.” Mr. Gees also went on to note that the combination of cyber and
conventional warfare has been around for at least 20 years, going back to the
first Gulf War. According to him, it is difficult to predict what the future
will hold in terms of threats, but, “...Article 5 is based on an outdated
understanding of warfare.”
The next speaker
was Dr. Antoniy Galabov, Head of Political Sciences Department, New Bulgarian
University, who spoke on The Regional Development and Challenges in the
Balkans. Dr. Galabov told delegates that economically and politically the
Balkans does not function as one region. This is due to the fact that “...by
only having relations with NATO and EU and not among themselves, the Balkan
countries have created parallel avenues, which prevent them from cooperating.
In addition, Galabov noted, there are a variety of other issues that need to be
addressed, including transportation and economic infrastructure, corruption and
organized crime. He also suggested that it will be interesting to see how the
people of the region respond to the Arab Spring, particularly given the fact
that it has a large and relatively young Muslim population that is well
connected through social media.
Delegates also
heard from Dr. Bichara Khadar, Director of the Arab Study and Research Centre,
DVLP and Professor at the Faculty of Political, Economic and Social Sciences,
UCL, Belgium. His topic was Youth, Education, and the Role of Social Media in
the Arab Democratic Upheaval. Dr. Khadar identified three factors that were
largely responsible for the timing of the Arab Spring. First, there were
demographic factors. The Arab population has doubled twice in 40 years with
50% of Arabs currently less than 25 years of age, while the official regimes
have been in power for decades. Second, there are economic realities. Arab
youth is highly skilled and educated but has trouble finding adequate
employment. This has led to social frustration and in some cases illegal
immigration. Third, there is the increasing influence of social media and new
networks like Al Jazeera which broadcast in Arabic and give people a sense of
Arab unity.
The Committee then
moved on to the consideration of its various reports. These included:
·Draft General Report on Information and
National Security, by Lord Jopling (United Kingdom), Rapporteur.
·Draft Special Report on Governance Challenges
in Afghanistan: An Update, by Vitalino Canas (Portugal), Special Rapporteur.
The report itself was presented by Marc Angel (Luxembourg), Vice-Chairman of
the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security.
·Draft General Report of the Sub-Committee on
Democratic Governance on Post-Orange Ukraine: Internal Dynamics and Foreign
Policy Priorities, by Luciano Malan (Italy) Rapporteur.
The meeting of the
Economic and Security Committee was opened by the Chair Hugh Bayley. The
Committee first heard from Professor Bichara Khadar, who had also addressed the
Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security. His topic was The Social and
Economic Origins of the Uprisings in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA)
Region. Professor Khadar argued that the MENA region constitutes “...the
crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, and that events there have an immediate
impact on the stability of the international system.” The region is important as
both a transit route for goods going to Europe and a market for European
goods. He noted that, over the past 50 years, “...the region’s regimes have
tended to be highly corrupt and the political elite has essentially controlled
natural resource exploitation and used the revenues to bolster its own wealth.”
The educated, urbanised youth are jobless and new democracies will not be well
positioned to generate jobs rapidly. The region’s economy is stumbling and it
is important that Europe not turn its back on the region.
The Committee also
heard from Avgustina Tzvetkova, Deputy Minister of Defence, Bulgaria, who spoke
on Building Integrity in NATO Defence Initiatives and Its Economic
Implications. In her presentation the Minister stressed the fact that national
parliaments have an important role to play in combating corruption in the
defence sector. The three essential components to reform are “...political
will, a clear strategy for introducing practical measures, and objective
external evaluation as a corrective when necessary.” She also noted that the
Bulgarian Parliament had established a committee on ant-corruption, thereby
sending a strong message that corruption would no longer be tolerated.
Following the
presentations the Committee considered its various draft reports. These
included:
·Draft
Report of the Sub-Committee on East-West Economic Cooperation and Convergence
on The Balkan Economies: Regional Roadblocks, European Distractions and Global
Crisis, by John Sewel (United Kingdom), Rapporteur.
Draft Report of the Sub-Committee on
Transatlantic Economic Relations on Finding Workable Solutions in Afghanistan:
The Work of the International Community in Building a Functioning Economy and
Society, by Jeppe Kofod (Denmark), Rapporteur.
Respectfully submitted,
The Honourable Senator
Jane Cordy
Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (NATO PA)