UPN, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 119: Kommentarer fra NATOs Generalsekretær om politiske anbefalinger i 2011

CYBER SECURITYThe Assembly,Recognisingthe benefits offered by the cyber domain to our societies as well as to the1.defence and security sector, including opportunities for greater situational awareness andco-ordination among the armed forces of the Allies as well as for the Alliance's public diplomacy;2.But alsoconcernedwith the emergence of a new category of threats that target nationalinformation infrastructures, and that could seriously undermine the security interests of the Allianceand its member states;Anxiousthat cyber defence capabilities and awareness of cyber threats vary significantly3.across NATO member states thereby weakening the Alliance's overall cyber security;Welcomingthe decisions made by the leaders of the Alliance at the NATO Lisbon Summit4.and the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in June 2011, identifying cyber security as one of thekey priorities of the Alliance;Welcomingthe recent start of the procurement process to pursue full operational capability5.for the new NATO Policy on Cyber Defence, which will result in significantly higher levels ofprotection of the Alliance's networks;SalutingNATO's approach aimed at expanding its cyber defence policy to include6.centralised cyber protection of all NATO bodies and the use of NATO's defence planningprocesses in the development of the Allies' cyber defence capabilities;Believingthat, in view of the growing scope and severity of cyber attacks, in addition to7.exploiting fully the opportunities offered by Article 4, the potential application of Article 5 of theWashington Treaty in case of a serious cyber attack against the Alliance or its individual members,should not be ruled out;Notingthat legislative "black holes" still exist both at a national level and in terms of8.international law when it comes to setting security standards for the cyber domain;Emphasisingthat stricter security regulations for the cyber domain should not come at the9.cost of reduced civil liberties and rights, such as freedom of speech and the right to communicateover the Internet, andnotingthe key role of the Internet in mobilising democratic movements inauthoritarian countries;10.a.URGESmember governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:to ensure swift implementation of the revised NATO Policy on Cyber Defence and the relatedcyber defence Action Plan, adopted in June 2011, introducing the cyber dimension in allthree of NATO's core tasks: collective defence, crisis management and co-operative security;

010 SESP 12 E|2b.to promote domestic awareness of cyber threats, taking into account lessons learned frommilestone events including the cyber attacks against Estonia in 2007 and against Georgia in2008 as well as the emergence of Stuxnet malicious software;to scrutinize domestic legal frameworks, ensuring that coherent and effective laws are inplace to address the evolving cyber threats;to provide necessary support for the efficient functioning of national Computer IncidentResponse Teams, and to invest sufficiently in the training of national cyber security experts;to promote closer partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil societyorganisations in order to ensure the security of government networks and improve theexchange of expertise in case of a breach of security;to ensure that the introduction of additional security measures in the cyber domain areaccompanied by adequate mechanisms of parliamentary and public oversight over theirrespective government institutions;to support international efforts to develop universal norms of acceptable behaviour in thecyber domain against the use of cyber attacks on civilian targets, and that would promoteexchange of best practices and establish mechanisms of international assistance to strickennations, while ensuring full universal access to the Internet as a venue for the exchange ofideas and information;to ensure that adequate attention is paid to the physical protection of networks, includingundersea fibre-optic infrastructures;URGESrelevant NATO bodies:to ensure that NATO Computer Incident Response Capability is fully operational by the endof 2012, and that NATO's cyber defence services are centralised;to facilitate, if requested, national efforts of NATO member states to acquire adequate cyberdefence expertise and state-of-the-art technologies;to test the efficacy of NATO and member states' cyber defence efforts through NATO'speriodic international exercises, and to ensure that these exercises are fully funded, staffedand well-attended;to use capabilities such as NATO Cyber Defence Management Board and NATOCo-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, to analyse rapid developments further inthe cyber domain and to develop strategies for strengthening cyber defences across theAlliance, while exploiting the advantages of the information age through initiatives such asNATO Network Enabled Capability;to develop further the existing co-operation mechanisms with the relevant EU institutions,with the particular aim of supporting the EU's legislative efforts to establish robust cybersecurity standards across the private sector;to increase assistance, if requested, to NATO partner countries in the field of cyber security,particularly by sharing best practices and raising awareness of cyber threats.

As was already clearly stated in the Strategic Concept, cyber threats are one of the keychallenges that the Alliance is facing today. The global nature of cyber threats requiresinternational cooperation and agreements on common approaches.In that vein, we welcome the NATO PA's resolution on cyber security, which will contributeto the international efforts under way in other international foras such as the UN and the OSCE.Since the NATO Summit held in Lisbon, NATO has revised its policy on Cyber Defence,which is now being implemented under an Action Plan. That Action Plan is aimed at furtherenhancing NATO's Cyber Defence capabilities. An Alliance that is better prepared to defend itsown networks and connected Allies’ networks that are critical for its core tasks, will also be betterprepared to contribute to international efforts to raise overall security in cyber space.

Lamentingthe loss of innocent lives and specificallycondemningthe violent acts against4.women and children during the struggle to end Muammar Qaddafi's rule;Condemningthe unlawful killings and violations of human rights committed by both Qaddafi5.supporters and groups opposed to his regime, as documented by human rights organisations;Recognisingthat the Qaddafi regime deliberately undermined Libya's civil society and that6.this, as well as the recent civil war, will complicate the task of building new governing institutions inthat country;CommendingNATO and partner state militaries for the skilled execution of Operation7.Unified Protector, which saved the lives of thousands of Libyan civilians;Underliningthe political context in which NATO acted, including a mandate from the United8.Nations Security Council invoking the principle of Responsibility to Protect, clear regional support,and demonstrable need for the Alliance's unique capabilities;Praisingthe speed of the international response and the unprecedented co-operation with9.Arab states such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Jordan, and with regionalorganisations such as the Arab League, before and during operations in Libya;10.Applaudingthe initiative taken by France and the United Kingdom to lead this importantoperation andrecognisingthe vital support provided by the United States and other Allies andPartners;11.Welcomingthe outcome of the high-level meeting on political development andreconstruction in Libya, held in New York on 20 September 2011 under the auspices of theUnited Nations;12.Assertingthat the Alliance is most effective operationally when all member states participateto the fullest extent of their capabilities andstressingthe need to consistently promote maximumpolitical solidarity among member countries during military operations led by the Alliance;13.Notingthat Operation Unified Protector exposed compelling capability gaps among NATOmember states, andconcernedthat dramatic reductions in national defence budgets and the

15.CONGRATULATESthe Libyan people and the National Transition Council on their hard-wongains;16.a.URGESall parties in Libya, starting with the National Transition Council:to establish an inclusive and representative transitional governing structure, building on thesuccess of the National Transition Council that will contribute to the process of nationalreconciliation and improved security in the country;to work towards a Libya that meets the aspirations of its people, based on democracy, therule of law, respect for human rights, and civilian control of the military;to ensure the protection of vulnerable innocents, particularly women and children, during thetransition period;to bring to justice everyone who has committed criminal acts but to refrain from arbitraryscore-settling and revenge killing;to facilitate broader engagement of women in policy-making and institution-building;to ensure that Libya's treaty responsibilities are fulfilled, that its weapons stockpiles aresecured, and that violent extremism is rejected;

17.PLEDGESits own support where requested and appropriate to the democratic institutions offree Libya as they take these challenging steps forward;18.URGESmember governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:a.to ensure that the financial resources and expertise necessary for a rapid and successfulstabilisation and reconstruction are available to the Libyan people, as well as for theresettlement of vulnerable refugees;to study the hard-earned lessons the Libyan conflict has imparted and from these, toundertake those changes that will ensure that NATO is backed by the capabilities andpolitical will necessary to continue to effectively carry out its crisis managementresponsibilities;to promote the future co-operation between NATO and Libya by inviting Libya to join theMediterranean Dialogue Co-operation Programme.

Comments regardingRESOLUTION 388onSUPPORTING THE LIBYAN PEOPLEThe Libya operation demonstrates the value of the Alliance’s efforts since 1994 to reach outto the countries of North Africa and of the Middle East region to dispel misperceptions andcontribute to better mutual understanding. These efforts laid the foundations for the operationalcontributions the Alliance has received from our four MD and ICI regional partners in OUP (Jordan,Morocco, Qatar and the UAE). Their political support has also been essential for the Libyaoperation, including in the GCC and Arab League Foreign Ministers meetings, where the decisionto call for a UNSCR to enforce a NFZ over Libya was taken knowing that it would fall on NATO toimplement it.NATO could, if requested by the new Libyan authorities, assist the post-conflictreconstruction of Libya in the security field. We have an established framework for that, namely theMediterranean Dialogue, and Libya could be invited to join the MD and develop an IndividualPartnership and Cooperation Programme with NATO which focuses on security institution building,if the country so requests.Distinct from the above, on request, NATO could assist the country in building its armedforces and intelligence forces under civilian oversight. The Alliance could, for example, advise andassist in building a Ministry of Defence, a Joint General Staff and a National Security Agency,promoting best practices in the efficient and accountable management in the security structures ofnew Libyan Government. NATO’s contributions, which will focus on bringing added value to Libya’stransition, would be in complementarity with the UN and would be coordinated appropriately withother international institutions such as the EU, AL and OIC.The NATO Defence Planning Process has already started to incorporate some of the earlylessons from the Libyan conflict and will continue to do so as more detailed and comprehensiveanalyses of the conflict become available. The Report of the Defence Planning Capability Reviewendorsed by the Defence Ministers in October 2011 has highlighted some capability gaps amongNATO members resulting from a preliminary assessment of the operation.The identification of NATO’s requirements for forces and capabilities is currently beingcarried out as part of the NATO Defence Planning Process and will culminate in the approval of theNATO Minimum Capability Requirement by the end of the year. This will take into account thelatest lessons learned from the Libyan conflict.The NATO Minimum Capability Requirement will be the base for setting targets to NATOand Allies for the development of new and enhanced capabilities necessary to ensure the Alliancecan fulfil the full range of its missions to meet NATO's Level of Ambition.

CONFRONTING A DIFFICULT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT: ECONOMICCRISIS, FISCAL CONSOLIDATION AND THE RISK OF EUROPE’SSTRATEGIC IRRELEVANCEThe Assembly,Recognisingthat the extraordinarily difficult fiscal conditions European and North American1.leaders currently confront pose an array of institutional, economic, social and political challenges;Acknowledgingthat this fiscal crisis has potentially profound security implications for NATO2.countries insofar as it undermines their capacity to underwrite the costs of national defence atlevels commensurate with traditional measures of security;Concernedthat the international monetary system has grown unstable and that structural3.budget deficits and rising sovereign debt levels are undermining market confidence and weakeningtrade;Worriedthat slow growth and budgetary constraints undermine global trade and have also4.triggered unacceptably high levels of unemployment, especially among young people, and that thisposes a threat to social cohesion, political stability and wellbeing;Recognisingthe political difficulties associated with supporting international development5.assistance butconvincedthat support for development represents a cost effective security andeconomic investment;Concernedthat the global economic crisis could adversely affect allied defence budgets at a6.time when formidable security challenges persist;Worriedas well that some NATO members are shouldering more of the relative defence7.burden than are others;Recognisingthat this burden-sharing dilemma could undermine the solidarity which has long8.held together this Alliance;9.a.URGESmember governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:to foster greater stability in the international monetary system by introducing andimplementing much needed reforms in US and EU member fiscal and social-economicsystems and in the international monetary system which remains dangerously unstable;to ensure that the public understands that even in difficult economic times, investing insecurity, diplomacy and international development assistance is both worthwhile and in thenational interest;to abstain from making spending cuts at a level that would damage national and internationalsecurity in this period of fiscal consolidation;

to undertake greater bilateral and multilateral co-operation on defence research anddevelopment, and procurement as well as in force specialisation and integration to generatenew efficiencies to counteract the impact of tight fiscal conditions;to ensure that defence spending is underwriting critical capabilities rather than serving someother purpose like subsidising a particular firm or keeping local employment levels up whichare worthy goals best pursued by other means;to conceive of NATO as a potentially powerful agency of efficiency-generating defence andsecurity co-operation among its members and to encourage the Secretary General of NATOto form three task forces:i.ii.to identify areas in which NATO countries might better co-operate to ensure moreefficient use of scarce defence funding;to improve consultation on defence budgeting processes among allied countries andthereby help ensure that defence cuts in any one allied country do not impose undueburdens on any of its allies; andto deepen procurement co-operation;

Comments regardingRESOLUTION 389onCONFRONTING A DIFFICULT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT: ECONOMICCRISIS, FISCAL CONSOLIDATION AND THE RISK OF EUROPE'SSTRATEGIC IRRELEVANCEWe recognise that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 389 embraces some ofthe greatest concerns and anxieties regarding the stability, cohesion and vitality of the Euro-Atlantic region and NATO member states since the Alliance began.The continuing debt crisis in the Eurozone, the increasing concern over renewed financialand economic recession in Europe, the fragility of economies on both sides of the Atlantic, togetherwith the wider global economic imbalances and instability in the international monetary system,pose major challenges to the economic, political, social and institutional fabric and security of ourdemocracies.This ongoing financial and economic instability directly feeds into the fiscal and budgetaryconstraints facing NATO member states at present and in the medium-term. These constraintsthreaten to undermine the necessary commitment to defence spending and defence investmentthat is essential if we are to respond positively to a variety of emerging security challenges andthreats. It is indeed vital that we better inform public opinion in member states of the importance ofinternational development assistance and the vital contribution that it makes, along with essentialdefence spending, to ensuring national and collective security. The Alliance should be equippedwith the appropriate resources in order to fulfil its core tasks and to meet its Level of Ambition.The concern expressed regarding the consequences of inequitable burden-sharing inNATO defence budgets is shared. With the continuing financial and economic crisis and additionalpressure being imposed on defence budgets on both sides of the Atlantic, we cannot expect thetransatlantic gap to be significantly reduced in the near future. As has been have argued by NATOofficials on many occasions, we must pursue a policy of cooperation in smart defence. Thisrequires that we work together with greater flexibility to build security for less money, usingmultinational and innovative approaches to invest in key areas and to generate critical, deployablecapabilities that are vital to sustaining and enhancing NATO’s contributions to global security.The proposal to form three task forces has been duely taken note of. It’s been previouslyexplained that the rising cost of military equipment coupled to the defence budget constraintsmakes it imperative that member states should work in small clusters to combine resources andbuild capabilities to the benefit of the Alliance overall. On those occasions it has also been pointedout that uncoordinated defence expenditure reductions and the lack of coordinated defencebudgetary planning could put Europe’s future security at risk. It is also vital to strengthen anddevelop innovative approaches that will avoid duplication between NATO and the EU and willsupport the more effective and transparent use of European defence resources and procurement.

THE POLITICAL TRANSFORMATIONIN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAThe Assembly,Supportingthe democratic aspirations and universal rights of all people in the Middle East1.and North Africa (MENA) region and worldwide;Inspiredby the determination and brave actions of peaceful political protestors across the2.region beginning in December 2010;Appalledby the violence and brutality deployed by regimes against peaceful protesters,3.most notably in Libya and Syria, anddeploringthe tragic loss of innocent lives in the struggle forfreedom;Acknowledgingthe important role played by women in these revolutions and in promoting4.positive steps in the field of gender equality butstrongly condemningviolence against women;Notingthe diversity of the countries in the region andrecognisingthat they will take5.different paths forward;Underliningthat political changes brought about by these revolutions must be designed6.and carried out by the people themselves;Welcomingthat Tunisia and Egypt have embarked on a path to democratic governance7.and will hold elections in 2011 andstressingthe important role of democratically electedparliaments for the transparency and accountability of government action;Acknowledgingthe commencement of the post-Qaddafi era andwelcomingthe stated8.commitment of the new Libyan transitional authorities towards democracy, the rule of law andrespect of fundamental human rights;Stressingthat the countries of the MENA region and the Alliance share a host of security9.challenges andfully supportingNATO's engagement with the countries of the region;CommendingNATO and Partner countries for the success of Operation Unified Protector10.undertaken in conformity with UN Security Council Resolution 1973;Supportingthe commitment of the Alliance to the promotion of peace and stability in the11.region andemphasisingthe crucial contribution of NATO partnership programmes, in particularthe Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Co-operation Initiative, which can provide importanttools in the process of transition;Reiteratingits commitment to dialogue and co-operation with the parliaments of the12.countries of the region;

0 1 0 S E S P 1 2 E|1113.URGESthe leaders of the MENA region to desist from violence against peacefuldemonstrations and to embrace genuine political reform;14.CONDEMNSthe Syrian regime for its disproportionate use of deadly force against theSyrian people andDEMANDSthat it puts an immediate end to it and engages in an open,meaningful dialogue with the opposition;15.a.URGESmember governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance:to reaffirm their commitment to assist the new democratic governments of the MENA regionin providing a secure and stable environment for citizens as they work through challengingpolitical and economic transitions;to enable NATO to increase its practical assistance to the countries of the region and toenhance its political dialogue with those countries;to consider the need to rejuvenate and redefine NATO's partnerships with countries of theMENA region;to ensure for a maximum of co-ordination among the UN, the EU, NATO and otherinternational organisations in assisting the democratic transformation of countries of theMENA region, including through security sector reforms;to help regulate the area's migration flows by ensuring close co-ordination with nationalgovernments and stimulating economic development and employment policies in theregion;

PLEDGESto stand ready to provide support, when requested, to new parliamentary bodies16.during and after the transition period;17.a.b.c.d.CALLS UPONall parties in the MENA region:to ensure the protection of civilians, particularly women and children, during the transitionperiod;to engage actively in the promotion of reconciliation processes in civil societies ridden byinstability and ethnic or religious conflicts;to bring perpetrators to justice and ensure due process in compliance with international lawand human rights protection standards; andto facilitate broader engagement of women in the post-revolutionary policy-making andinstitution-building process.

Comments regardingRESOLUTION 390onTHE POLITICAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHAFRICANATO can offer assistance in support of ongoing transitions for all NATO’s partners in theregion, with a focus on security institutions building, defence transformation, modernisation andcapacity development, civil-military relations and transparency, if so requested, using the existingset of cooperation tools and mechanisms.NATO has already clearly indicated that its approach to supporting transition in North Africaand the Middle East should be coherent with other international efforts, as well as the supportoffered by individual Allies, and that it should focus on targeted programmes where NATO can addvalue.

COUNTERING BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL THREATSThe Assembly,Concernedby the potential of biological and chemical weapons to cause mass terror and1.casualties and to threaten international security and prosperity;Emphasisingthe continuing threat posed by non-state actors to engage in terrorism using2.biological or chemical agents;Appreciatingthat rapid advances in the life sciences hold great potential for humanity, but3.consciousthat these sciences can also be used for malicious purposes;Stressingthe Alliance's commitments, made in its new Strategic Concept, to further develop4.its capacity to defend against the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), to enhance itscapability to detect and defend against international terrorism as well as to contribute actively toarms control, non-proliferation and disarmament;Appreciatingthe crucial contributions of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention5.(BWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to international security;Acknowledgingthe contribution of other multilateral and national organisations and6.initiatives in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation efforts regarding biological andchemical weapons and their means of delivery, including the 1540 Committee, the G8 GlobalPartnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, the ProliferationSecurity Initiative, the Australia Group as well as the efforts of the United Nations, NATO and theEU;Convincedthat, in particular, the global arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation7.regime for biological weapons is in need of strengthening andconsciousthat the Seventh ReviewConference of the BWC in December 2011 provides an important opportunity to strengthen thisregime;Mindful alsothat future priorities for the CWC and its Organisation for the Prohibition of8.Chemical Weapons (OPCW) must be set now in anticipation of the time when declared stockpilesof chemical weapons and agents will have been verifiably destroyed;Concernedwith political instability in states in likely possession of biological or chemical9.weapons, precursor materials and their means of delivery and with the attending proliferation risksandstressingthe need to closely monitor these materials;10.Acknowledgingthe necessity of balancing the need for strong and efficient export controlson dual-use technology with the benefits of peaceful scientific and technological exchange;11.Alarmedthat the capacity to detect and trace biological and chemical incidents as well ascrisis response and recovery mechanisms at the local, national and international levels remaininadequate;

to strive towards a stronger web of arms control, disarmament, non-proliferation effortsregarding biological and chemical weapons and their means of delivery, including improvingconfidence-building measures;to focus on areas of agreement at the Seventh Review Conference of the BWC, aiming inparticular to consolidate, and possibly strengthen, the Implementation Support Unit at theUnited Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs, the intersessional process between ReviewConferences and the United Nations Secretary-General's mechanism for investigating casesof alleged use of biological weapons;to resolutely push for universal membership of the BWC and CWC;to improve counter-terrorism measures at all levels, including enhanced threat analysis,intensified consultation and co-operation with partners as well as more appropriate militarycapabilities;to ensure sufficient availability of defence military capabilities to prevent the proliferation ofchemical and biological weapons or improvised devices and their means of delivery, toprotect against chemical and biological threats and attacks, and to recover in case ofchemical and biological contamination;to foster the implementation of NATO's comprehensive Policy for preventing the proliferationof WMD and defending against chemical and biological threats;to properly fund research and development of detection technology and counter-measures,such as vaccines and drugs, as well as the relevant forensic sciences;to ensure sufficient availability of counter-measures, such as vaccines and drugs, and todesign effective distribution systems under crisis response and recovery mechanisms;to improve the protection of critical infrastructure against biological or chemical attacks;to improve co-operation on biological and chemical threats, incident detection, crisisresponse and recovery mechanisms as well as training and exercises, between civilian andmilitary actors, the public and the private realm as well as states and multilateralorganisations, including enhanced NATO-EU co-operation;to increase biosafety and biosecurity measures at all levels, including through strong andefficient codes of conduct for life scientists, and to encourage and help partners to dolikewise;to better educate their citizens, in particular those working with dangerous biological orchemical materials, about the risks of biological and chemical terrorism and proper responsesin a crisis;to continue to support programmes designed to redirect scientists, who were formerlyengaged in research and development related to biological and chemical weapons and theirmeans of delivery, to peaceful activities;

Comments regardingRESOLUTION 391onCOUNTERING BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL THREATSNATO’s policy of support for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation will continueto play a major role in the achievement of the Alliance’s security objectives, including preventingthe proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery. This policy,alongside with reinforced partnerships with relevant countries and other international organizations,is an essential element of NATO’s active engagement in enhancing international security throughcooperative means.Therefore, the appeal contained in the Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 391 forintensifying international efforts with a view to diminishing and eliminating the threat posed bychemical and biological weapons, can be fully subscribed to.NATO Heads of State and Government have emphasized the importance of the two maininternational legal instruments in this field: the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and theBiological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). NATO Allies have always supported theiruniversalization, compliance with and implementation. These Conventions will have importantmeetings at the end of 2011: the Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to theCWC which will take place in The Hague from 28 November to 2 December 2011, and the SeventhReview Conference of the BWC to be held in Geneva from 5 to 22 December 2011. NATO will takepart as an observer at both events.The need for universal membership of the CWC and BWC can be particularly emphasized.Universalization of both Conventions will contribute significantly to furthering the non-proliferationand disarmament goals, and strengthening international security globally. We are convinced thatNATO Allies will spare no effort for achieving this objective and urge all States that have notalready done so, to accede to the Conventions without delay.Please rest assured you that we are determinedly implementing NATO’s Comprehensive,Strategic-Level Policy for Preventing the Proliferation of WMD and Defending against Chemical,Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Threats, and we shall continue our efforts in this fieldon the basis of the assessment on how NATO can better counter the proliferation of WMD andtheir means of delivery.

SUPPORTING TRANSITION IN AFGHANISTANThe Assembly,Reaffirmingthat 10 years after the tragic terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in the1.United States, which were planned by al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, the security of Afghanistanremains directly linked to our own security;Stressingthat the UN-mandated NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in2.Afghanistan (ISAF) plays a critical role in combating terrorism and in preventing Afghanistan frombeing used as a safe haven for international terrorists;Commendingthe performance and dedication of ISAF and Afghan military and civilian3.personnel andhonouringthose who have lost their lives or have been injured;Welcomingprogress in improving counter-improvised explosive device (IED) technology4.and capabilities, butnotingthat IEDs remain the greatest single cause of casualties inAfghanistan;Recallingthat ISAF nations have agreed to seek an end to their combat operations by the5.end of 2014 and have already started the process of transition through which Afghan authoritieswill take the lead for security throughout Afghanistan;Convincedthat strong military pressure on insurgents remains essential in order to6.consolidate security gains but alsounderliningthat Afghanistan's long-term stability can only beachieved through an Afghan-led political solution; and therefore,SupportingAfghan authorities' efforts to seek reconciliation with those insurgent groups7.which vow to respect the Afghan Constitution, including the rights of women, lay down their armsand renounce all links to terrorist organisations; and,Stressingthat a sustainable and irreversible transition will require the continued8.development of effective and accountable Afghan national security institutions, as well as furtherdemonstrable progress in the fields of governance and economic development;Underliningthat transition plans need to take into account the fact that the planned end of9.the transition process will coincide with an important presidential election;Emphasisingthat international assistance will remain necessary beyond 2014 to10.guarantee the viability and sustainability of Afghan institutions;Recognisingin particular the need to mitigate the negative impact on the economy of the11.progressive reduction in the international presence;

0 1 0 S E S P 1 2 E|1812.Convincedthat a stable, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of all ofits neighbours; and,Recallingthat, in the 2002 Kabul Declaration and other subsequent documents,13.Afghanistan's neighbours committed themselves to constructive and supportive bilateral relationsbased on the principles of territorial integrity, mutual respect, friendly relations, co-operation andnon-interference in each other's internal affairs;Affirmingits support for the ongoing trilateral and multilateral initiatives aimed at14.contributing to develop co-operation between Afghanistan and its regional partners and in this veinwelcomingthe Istanbul Statement on Friendship and Co-operation in the Heart of Asia, adoptedat the Istanbul Summit on 26 January 2010;Recognisingandappreciatingthe contribution and sacrifice of the Pakistani authorities15.and the Pakistani people in combating extremism and seeking to enhance security particularly inthe regions bordering Afghanistan;Recognisingthat cross-border activity by terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan threatens16.the security of civilians and military personnel in both countries;Convincedthat the upcoming international conferences in Istanbul and Bonn provide a key17.opportunity for Afghanistan and its international partners to renew their mutual commitment to astable, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, and to set the conditions for an irreversible andsustainable transition;URGESthe governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance and of non-NATO18.ISAF troop contributing nations:a.to enhance efforts to explain to their citizens the ongoing need for an international militarypresence in Afghanistan and the necessity of sustaining international assistance beyondthe planned end of the combat mission in 2014;to co-ordinate national decisions on troop withdrawals, taking into account enduringoperational needs;to fill ongoing shortfalls of trainers and mentors for the Afghan National Security Forces(ANSF) and reaffirm their readiness to assist in sustaining the ANSF beyond 2014, as partof the NATO-Afghanistan Enduring Partnership;to continue to support research and development and the sharing of operational knowledgeand experience regarding IEDs as a matter of priority, and to step up training of the ANSFon counter-IED;to enhance international support for the development and functioning of sustainablestructures of governance at the central and local levels able to deliver services to thepopulation;to continue to increase the share of international assistance delivered through Afghaninstitutions, conditional upon progress achieved by Afghan authorities in implementingnecessary reforms, particularly in anti-corruption;to increase support for and co-operation with the Afghan parliament;to seek agreement, at the upcoming Bonn Conference, on enduring economic assistance toAfghanistan, including measures to mitigate the negative impact on the economy of

0 1 0 S E S P 1 2 E|19progressive reductions in the international presence, and to support the development ofsustainable sources of income for the country;i.to strengthen political dialogue with Afghanistan's neighbours, particularly Pakistan, as ameans to promote regional confidence building;CALLS UPONthe government and parliament of Afghanistan:to resolve outstanding sources of tension between the executive and legislative branches;to enhance their efforts to explain the benefits of the international military presence for theAfghan public;to continue to develop strong accountability mechanisms over the ANSF;to step up implementation of the ambitious programme of reforms outlined at the 2010London and Kabul Conferences;to conduct electoral reform as a matter of priority, addressing the flaws demonstrated bythe conduct of the 2009 presidential election and the 2010 parliamentary elections;to redouble efforts to combat corruption, and protect anti-corruption bodies from politicalinterference;to favour the integration of Afghan civil society into the country’s political and institutionalsphere, and the development of independent media;CALLS UPONthe government and parliament of Pakistan:to continue their efforts to combat terrorism and further enhance operational co-ordinationwith ISAF and Afghan forces;to further intensify its co-operation with Afghanistan in seeking a political solution;to fully support initiatives for regional confidence building, security and co-operation,including efforts to resolve outstanding bilateral disputes;to further strengthen political dialogue with NATO to complement existing military-to-militaryco-operation;

Comments regardingDECLARATION 392onSUPPORTING TRANSITION IN AFGHANISTANThis is an important declaration which reflects the need for continued commitment inAfghanistan, not only by NATO, but by the wider International Community.The declaration reflects the progress made in Afghanistan in the last 10 years, and as weprepare to implement the second tranche of the transition process, roughly 50% of the Afghanpopulation now see fellow Afghans in the lead for security in their villages and towns. Against thebackdrop of the recent Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan, which added further impetus to effortstowards enhanced regional cooperation, with a particular focus on Afghanistan, the forthcomingBonn Conference will reinforce progress towards full Afghan ownership, and will establish the keyobjectives for Afghanistan and international partners in the years to come. This in turn will provideuseful inputs for NATO in establishing its future goals for Afghanistan, which will be agreed byheads of State and Government at the 2012 Chicago Summit.Afghan capacity has increased enormously, largely as a result of the internationalassistance that has been delivered in recent years. It is essential now to maintain this support: inpractical assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces; in maintaining our dialogue with theAfghan government and parliament; and in maintaining the coherence of the overall internationaleffort. Most importantly, the International Community must encourage and support the continueddevelopment of Afghan structures, including through robust development and capacity buildingsupport, ensuring that corruption is eradicated and that the rights of the Afghan population arerespected and protected.Finally, it is important to recognize that overall success in Afghanistan cannot be achievedwithout the active support of regional stakeholders. Pakistan in particular has a key ongoing role toplay in terms of addressing border security issues.