Madame President,
Minister Olekas,
Colonel Petkevičius,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour to open this NATO Centre of Excellence on Energy Security. When we wrote our new Strategic Concept three years ago, we emphasised the importance of energy security. We underscored that Allied solidarity extends to energy. And we gave energy security its rightful place – as a “collective defence” issue.
Of course, NATO is not an energy institution. But our Alliance has a range of tools to advance the agenda of energy security. We have a political consultation process, intelligence-sharing mechanisms, civilian and military planning capacities, and a unique network of partnerships with many countries and institutions.
Over the past few years, we have managed to firmly anchor energy security on NATO’s agenda. This is significant progress. And I see at least three reasons why energy security will gain even more importance in the years to come.
First of all, because our supplies remain vulnerable. Piracy has become a multi-billion dollar business. Terrorists have attacked energy installations and transport lines. And cyber attacks against energy infrastructure are happening ever more frequently. In short, our energy supplies are at risk. And NATO can help to protect them.
Our counter-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean shows how NATO can help to keep sea lanes open. But in most cases NATO’s role will be more indirect -- by providing analysis, advice, and a forum for the exchange of best practices. To play this role, we must deepen our relationship with other actors, such as the International Energy Agency and the European Union, as well as with the private sector and our partner countries.
Second, we must continue to enhance the energy efficiency of our armed forces. This is not just about saving money. It’s about saving lives, and saving the environment. The fewer fuel convoys you need, the fewer soldiers you need to protect them. And the less fuel you spend, the less you pollute the environment. So by making more efficient use of our limited resources, smart energy can make an important contribution to Smart Defence. I welcome Lithuania’s strong focus on this in NATO.
Finally, the changing global resource landscape will also raise the importance of energy security. Global energy demand will continue to grow. And we might see more disputes about territories that hold valuable energy resources.
I strongly believe that most resource issues will be settled by the power of the market, not by the power of guns. Energy security is not a call to arms. But when it comes to understanding the security implications of global resource developments, NATO must be ahead of the curve.
For all these reasons, this Centre of Excellence is the right institution, at the right time, and at the right place. It will provide us with analyses on energy developments. It will give Allies and partners new opportunities for training and education. It will help to improve the energy efficiency in our armed forces. And it will help to make our defence “greener” and smarter.
So I congratulate Lithuania on giving energy security a distinct “home”. And I wish the Centre the very best for the future.
***Remarks by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the opening of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, Vilnius, Lithuania
Fulfilling Europe’s Potential
Speech by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the Inter-parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy, Vilnius
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a privilege and a pleasure to stand before you today. I see many familiar faces in the audience, including representatives from the European Parliament and national parliaments whom I have known for many years.
Let me start with the situation in Syria, which is of concern to the whole world. We have all seen the terrible images of what happened in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21st. A massive chemical weapons attack. Civilians gassed by their own regime.
A variety of sources point to the responsibility of the Syrian regime. NATO Allies have condemned this attack in the strongest possible terms. And it cannot go unanswered.
NATO continues to play its part as a forum of consultations where North America and Europe consult every day. Our
Patriot deployment continues to keep watch over Turkey. And we continue to protect and defend the Alliance’s south-eastern border.
But as the situation in Syria demonstrates, we continue to face significant security challenges. And it is vital that we are prepared to meet them together.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In this hall, over two decades ago, Lithuania regained its sovereignty and began its journey towards Euro-Atlantic and European integration.
That journey has led to remarkable success. Nearly a decade ago, Lithuania became a valued NATO Ally, and a respected member of the European Union. This country has become safer. And Lithuania's security has helped make the entire Euro-Atlantic region safer.
As an Ally, Lithuania has shown commitment to our shared security. This country has helped to strengthen our political solidarity. And it has made important contributions to our operations, including to our ongoing mission in Afghanistan.
Lithuania has also been a leader on the issue of energy security. I am pleased to attend the opening of the NATO Centre of Excellence on Energy Security here later today. This institution will prove indispensable as we explore ways to address an important concern.
And as the holder of the European Union presidency for the first time, Lithuania has vowed to push for strengthened cooperation between the European Union and NATO.
For all this, I extend my thanks to Lithuania’s government and to the people of Lithuania.
Today I speak to you as NATO’s Secretary General. But I also speak to you as a proud European who believes in Europe -- and who cares greatly about the future of our continent.
And because I care for Europe’s future, let me be very clear from the start. If we in Europe do not invest more - financially and politically - in our own defence and security, then in the future, we will not speak of our influence in the world, but of the influence of others over our world.
Let me give you a few figures. Over the last four years, most European NATO Allies have reduced their defence spending. Some by more than 20%.
By contrast, defence spending in the emerging world is increasing quickly. In 2012, Asian defence spending overtook Europe’s for the first time. By 2015, it is forecast that defence spending in China alone will be equal to that of the 8 largest European NATO Allies combined.
While our defence spending is falling, global security challenges are rising. Nation-state instability. Missile proliferation. Terrorism. Cyber-attacks.
To tackle these challenges, Europe needs soft power instruments. But it also needs to back them up with hard military capabilities.
Our continent has half a million more soldiers under arms than the United States. But we continue to fail to get the most out of those impressive resources.
For example, basic and technical training is largely the same for all our forces, particularly where nations use the same equipment. But there are too few examples where our forces train efficiently together.
And the problem is compounded by our industrial practices. For example, we operate close to forty different types of infantry fighting vehicles – many in small numbers, but protecting national industries. The result is poor economies of scale, excessive running costs, and inefficient training.
So – in essence – if we Europeans want to tackle the challenges we will face in the future, then, we must raise the level of our ambition.
We must let go of the lingering national rivalries of the past.
And we must pool and share more of what we have and use it more effectively.
Our security isn’t optional. It is vital. And to preserve it, we Europeans need to invest in a strong Europe. We need to invest in a strong NATO. And we need to invest in a strong partnership between NATO and the European Union.
as you know next December the European Union will hold an important Summit on security and defence.
In the run-up to the Summit, I believe the countries of Europe should focus on three key areas.
First, capabilities. European countries have made real progress in developing new capabilities such as heavy transport aircraft. But we are all aware of the shortfalls. These shortfalls include drones for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
While we have already made progress on addressing these shortfalls, more has to be done.
That will take significant time and investment. Such investment may cost money. But sending out troops into battle without the support they need may cost lives – the lives of our troops and of those we are meant to protect.
At NATO, we are working hard to provide critical capabilities. Our Smart Defence initiative, for example, has 29 multinational capability projects in the pipeline. The first – a helicopter maintenance project in Afghanistan – was recently completed.
And for its part, the European Union is working to provide capabilities through pooling and sharing. For example, the European Union is leading a multinational programme on acquiring more air-to-air refuelling planes.
I strongly welcome this. It will enhance the European Union’s ability to act, and NATO’s as well. I encourage the European Union to use the December Council to make further progress on this important initiative.
Second, industry. To develop effective and modern capabilities, Europe needs effective and modern industries. National borders should not be barriers to competition. Instead, we need a truly European defence market that leads to innovation, better and cheaper equipment, and a better return on every euro spent.
Making the defence industry in Europe stronger, more sustainable, and more streamlined is a vital part of Europe’s ability to ensure its future security.
Finally, forces. European countries should take a long hard look at the forces they will need in the future. No single European country on its own can produce the forces of the size, scale and skills that we have deployed during the past 20 years. But together, we can.
So if European countries are to have access to the full spectrum of capabilities and forces they require, they must cooperate more closely.
NATO and the European Union share the same values. We share the same strategic analysis of the challenges we face. And we have the same vision. Our two organisations are on the same road and travelling towards the same destination – a Europe where our nations share responsibility for our security and remain a force for good in the world.
As we travel, we must ensure that we don’t push each other off the road by pursuing similar projects. We don’t have the money for it, and our taxpayers don’t have the patience for it. Cooperation, not duplication, is the way to success. And you, as parliamentarians, are critical in making it happen.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As a believer in both Europe and NATO, I am convinced that Europeans should not be content with playing the role of a global spectator. We can be and must be global actors.
At the European Council in December, we Europeans have to make a strategic choice. We should put our money where our mouth is, and our resources where the need is. We should build capabilities, not bureaucracies. And we should build them together -- as Europeans cooperating with each other and with our North American Allies.