CENCOOP Defence Ministers' Meeting
Statement of the Austrian Defence Minister Dr. Werner Fasslabend
Wien, 19. März 1998 - "Gentlemen, as you are all very aware, the International Community is confronted with tremendous quantitative and qualitative challenges to activities related to the maintenance of peace and security. The scope of operations has changed from being largely military in character to multifunctional operations involving civilian, military, and humanitarian aspects. We all are also aware that the need for those operations might rather increase than decrease and there will always be the need to tailor every operation to the circumstances on the ground, and to the political aim. Accordingly, nations which are willing to contribute resources to international activities for the global maintenance of peace and security should develop and maintain flexible reaction capabilities.
However, troop contributions to international operations become more and more of a burden, in particular for smaller countries. Thus, smaller countries may wish to share the burden in both the preparation and the execution of a mission. This would lead to the desired economy of resources accomplished by functional specialisation prior to deployment and cover the required high standard of preparation, especially in the fields of training, logistics and operational procedures.
I would like to draw your attention to the recent Progress Report of the UN Secretary - General "On Standby Arrangements For Peacekeeping, dated 24 December 1997" addressing the shortfalls on specific resources for UN operations. In particular, the report expresses the lack of resources and experts in the field of Military Observers and support capacities, such as communications, multi - role logistics, transport, health services, engineering, mine - clearing and transport utility aircraft.
What suggests itself in the given circumstances is common planning and preparation within a group of like-minded nations with extensive experience and high standards in the field of international peace supporting operations. The Nordic Cooperation has been a good example in this respect for a long time. As far as the Central European region is concerned, a similar cooperation will build on the existing good neighbourly relations and will enhance the capabilities of the Central European Nations for activities to maintain international peace and security through combined efforts. Raising our long-time bilateral relations of being good neighbours up to a multilateral platform, CENCOOP will be a multinational programme of activities of smaller countries in Central Europe and will be guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Agenda for Peace.
Recalling the defined objective of CENCOOP - "To improve the capabilities of the Central European Nations (CEN) in order to respond more effectively to Peace Support challenges and achieve a higher profile through regional cooperation" -, which is based on the goals of the UN Standby System, CENCOOP stand by modules should significantly contribute to the enhancement of the UN system. The fact of the lack of certain resources should be recognized in the planning for building up future CENCOOP modules.
This aim is also fully in line with one of the essential objectives of the Partnership for Peace (PfP)-framework - "Maintenance of the capability and readiness to contribute, subject to constitutional considerations, to operations under the authority of the United Nations and/or the responsibility of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)".
CENCOOP is based on the terms of the Partnership for Peace Programme. Accordingly, each country participates within the terms as stated individually in PfP. Thus, CENCOOP will be a complementary effort to foster cooperation among neighbouring countries within the successful framework of Partnership for Peace.
For all these reasons Austria initiated the "Central European Nations Cooperation In Peace Support" and appreciates the overwhelming response of the partner countries to this regional cooperation and the excellent work having been accomplished by the multinational Preliminary Coordination Group."
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The five representatives after having signed the CENCOOP-Document.