NATO: a forward looking alliance Jaap de Hoop Scheffer outlines NATO's response to current security problems and reviews NATO-New Zealand ties.

• Author: Scheffer, Jaap de Hoop

My visit is the first by a NATO Secretary General to New Zealand and it comes at a very opportune moment. We may be literally at opposite ends of the globe, but New Zealand and NATO have come a lot closer together these last few years. Values that we have shared for many years--democracy, freedom, basic human rights--have come under threat. Our security interests have converged to a considerable extent. So it made eminent sense for Foreign Minister Phil Goff to visit NATO Headquarters last February, and for me to come to Wellington, to discuss those common interests, and how we can best address them.

I will review the changing international security environment and the challenges it produces, before going on to relate these challenges to increased New Zealand/NATO co-operation.

Fifteen years ago, when the Cold War ended, many people predicted the end of NATO. With the disappearance of the Soviet Union and that of the Warsaw Pact, many felt that the Alliance could simply declare victory and fold up its tents as well.

Instead, NATO proved its worth many times over during the 1990s. The Alliance was instrumental in putting an end to years of conflict in the Balkans. We engaged countries throughout Europe and into Central Asia in a vast network of dialogue and co-operation. By opening up to include ten more member countries, we helped to create a Europe whole and free, and united in democracy.

Dramatic change

At the start of this new century, and especially after the events of 11 September 2001, the international security environment changed dramatically again. Once more, NATO's role in this new environment was questioned by some. Indeed, two years ago, when tensions rose over Iraq, quite a few people predicted a trans-Atlantic divorce.

Since 2001, however, there has been a strong reappraisal of the trans-Atlantic relationship in general, and of NATO in particular. I have experienced that reappraisal very personally in my meetings with Alliance leaders during my first year in office. It was very clearly also the main message that came out of the NATO Summit meeting in Brussels in February, right at the start of President Bush's first visit to Europe following his re-election.

This reappraisal of the Alliance is really no big surprise. It is based on a sober assessment of the new security environment, an acknowledgement that a number of realities in that security environment require Europe and North America to work together; and a recognition of NATO's proven record of uniting America and Europe's political and military weight behind a common purpose of delivering greater security.

Defining features

What are the defining features of the new security environment that Europe and America are responding to through NATO? I want to highlight three.

First of all, our new security environment demands new security thinking. Providing security today means being able to project stability, including to regions outside Europe. We are...