Von: Tina Purnat [mailto:Tina.Purnat@...]
Gesendet: Montag, 12. November 2001 17:40
An: Tina Purnat
Betreff: NATO desinformation and anti-democratic campaign in Slovenia
from: Blaz Babic, blaz.babic@...
DELO, 12th November, 2001, pg. 4
"We expect from Slovenia to be useful for NATO"
an interview with Lord Robertson, Secretary General of NATO
Delo: I suppose that You as a Secretary General of the Alliance wish
to see a broad public support in the applicant countries. Does it seem
to You, that a referendum would be a proper method to ratify the plans
of the governments?
Lord Robertson: No. I think that a referendum is a very unflexible
method and basically unnecessary. However the public should agree, but
it needs to be uder constant watch and be informed. In Slovenia you
have an Association Atlantic Council, which has hosted Association
Atlantic Treaty last month, I know they're members of that organisation
and they support the couse. Mild public opinion in support of
membership merely means that NATO will be facing troubles. That's why
we expect from the governments of candidate countries that they'll use
all energy availabe, to gain public support and
explain to it's people how important NATO and it's activities are.
----------------
Additional commentary:
Today L Robertson is visiting Slovenia. This was not announced in
advance since during his last visit he was welcomed by noisy protesters.
Today Governmental Office of Information is launching a 20.000 DEM worth
internet page:
web page: nato.gov.si
To give You a better insight in the details of slovenian govern-mental
PR, I have translated some FAQ on that site
1
Q: Will NATO if Slovenia becomes a member state establish military
bases or deploy nuclear weapons?
A: NATO doesn't plan to permanently station its forces on the teritory
of new memberstates therefore not also on the Slovenian teritory. In
three new memberstates (Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) they
haven't established no permanent military base nor nuclear wapons.
To run common exercises and to train allied forces from time to time
also in Slovenia there will be held joint exercises - as it has alredy
been done untill now (e.g. CAE - Cooperative Adventure Exchange in year
98' in SE part of Slovenia)
2
Q: Is it sensible to join NATO, since also EU is developing common
european security and defence policy?
A: EU doesn't plan to ensure colective security in the framework of
joint security and defence policy, therefore NATO remains the only
international organisation which can ensure that. Common European
security and defence policy is still in making. EU and NATO are
complementary organisations.
Membership in either of them alone still doesn't give all security,
political, economical and other guarantees, which are important for
Slovenia. That is why memberships in both EU and NATO are priorities in
Slovenian foreign policy.
3
Q: Is Slovenia giving away its souvereignity if it joins NATO?
A: No. NATO is a assocation of souvereign states and does not demand
the renouncement of the souvereignity of its memberstates. Decisions in
NATO are made unanimously, with agreement of all memberstates and never
with majority voting. Decision for membership is volontarily for each
state that wants to join this group of the most developed(in all
fields) states and in the frame of collective defence ensures the
highest possible level of security.
4
Q: Wouldn's Slovenia rather aspire for the status of neutrality, such
as Swiss and Austrians?
A: Austria as well as Swiss, Ireland, Sweden, Finland are formally
internationally accepted neutral stated, which have become such trough
different historical periods and from different reasons. An important
element of their status of neutrality was the respectation of it from
the side of other countries.
Today all countries listed are exceptionally active in NATO's programme
Partnership for Peace, since they are all aware, how importand is to
contribute to ensure the security on the european continent. In some of
those states there are debates on future of the neutrality status.
Almost all mentioned states give a lot of funds to the defence budgeta,
in average noticably more than majority of NATO members.
Dispite the longlasting neutrality of Swiss, which international
community has respected, the swiss citizens have decided on this year's
referendum that their soldiers can participate in international peace
operations.
5
Q: Why and for how much must Slovenia incrise it's military budget?
Slovenia must restructure its defence system accordingly to the
standards of memberstates of NATO primarily because of its own
security. Memberstate of the Alliance must provide necessary funds, to
fulfill it's obligations, that's why for the planning of restructuring
and modernisation of slovenian defence system it will be necessary to
ensure appropriate financial resources.
In year 2000 Slovenia has given 1,23% of the budget to the defence. In
this year it's planned that this procentage will be around 1,46% of
GDP, which means slightly more than 270 mil $, or some 5,15% of the
total budget of Slovenia. The procentage of funds for defence will be
slightly increased by year 2005 and will range around 1,5%. Number
mentioned (and procentage) is lower than that in NATO memberstates,
where average is around 2%.
6
Q: What will be the contribution in NATO and how much will it cost the
slovenian taxpayers?
A: Contribution of Slovenia for membership is supposed to be 1% of
those funds, which individual memberstate is giving for defence budget,
and considering temporary expenditures this would sum up to some 4 mil
USD per year. These funds go to NATO civil and military budget for
working of organisation and to execution of joint infrastructural
projects, accordingly to the decisions of the memberstates. When
Slovenia would become a member state it would be able to participate at
decisions on budget expenditures and it would also use the common
infrastructure. Each memberstate alone covers the costs for
establishing and functioning of its mission at NATO and
the participation of its forces in peace operations.
7
Q: Is it necessary to decide upon the membership on a referendum?
A: Referendum is possible, but it's not necessary for a country to come
to a decision. Out of three new CE memberstates of NATO, referendum was
only called in Hungary.
----------------
I'd also like to draw Your attention to the www public opinion
measurement:
http://nato.gov.si/slo/anketa/1004/
Do you support slovenian joining to NATO?
Yes 67 (42%)
No 67 (42%)
Don't know 24 (15%)
Total votes: 158
If You find any ideas or good arguments agains the answers abouve, you
can also write to Group Neutro ( neutro@... ) and visit
our no-budget site www.ljudmila.org/neutro which of course is more
informative and actually does have it's english pages :)
In EU campaign Slovenian government has given 0'1% - 0'5% of all funds
for NGO's to Eurocritical organisations. Nothing similar has happened
in the NATO campaign.
I't also fully unknown to us where the funds for slovenian Atlantic
Council (supposedily a NGO) come from:
http://www.atlantski-svet.org/
You can find links to this "NGO" but there is no link to Neutro page -
also a NGO !
With best wishes,
Blaz Babic, Group Neutro, Slovenia
------------------
slovenian version of first the article:
DELO, 12.11.2001, str.4
Od Slovenije pricakujemo, da bo koristila Natu"
intervju z Lord Robertsonom, generalnim sekretarjem Nata
Delo: Predvidevam, da si kot generalni sekretar zaveznistva zelite
siroko javno podporo kandidatk za clanstvo v Natu. Se vam zdi, da bi
bil referendum pravsnji nacin za potrditev nacrtov vlad?
Lord Robertson: Ne. Mislim, da je referendum zelo tog nacin in v bistvu
nepotreben. Javnost se kajpak mora strinjati, treba pa jo je nenehno
opazovati in obvescati. V Sloveniji deluje zdruzenje atlantski svet, ki
je pretekli mesec gostilo zdruzenje atlantskega sporazuma, vem da so
clani te organizacije in zagovarjajo stvar. Mocna podpora javnega
mnenja v prid clanstvu v Natu je izjemnega pomena za zaveznistvo in za
drzave, ki se vkljucujejo . Mlacna zavzetost za clanstvo lahko kvecjemu
pomeni, da se bo Nato spopadal s tezavami. Zato pricakujemo, da bodo
vlade kandidatk do vrha v Pragi uporabile vso energijo, da pridobijo
javnost in ji pojasnijo, kako pomembna sta Nato in natovska aktivnost.
Gesendet: Montag, 12. November 2001 17:40
An: Tina Purnat
Betreff: NATO desinformation and anti-democratic campaign in Slovenia
from: Blaz Babic, blaz.babic@...
DELO, 12th November, 2001, pg. 4
"We expect from Slovenia to be useful for NATO"
an interview with Lord Robertson, Secretary General of NATO
Delo: I suppose that You as a Secretary General of the Alliance wish
to see a broad public support in the applicant countries. Does it seem
to You, that a referendum would be a proper method to ratify the plans
of the governments?
Lord Robertson: No. I think that a referendum is a very unflexible
method and basically unnecessary. However the public should agree, but
it needs to be uder constant watch and be informed. In Slovenia you
have an Association Atlantic Council, which has hosted Association
Atlantic Treaty last month, I know they're members of that organisation
and they support the couse. Mild public opinion in support of
membership merely means that NATO will be facing troubles. That's why
we expect from the governments of candidate countries that they'll use
all energy availabe, to gain public support and
explain to it's people how important NATO and it's activities are.
----------------
Additional commentary:
Today L Robertson is visiting Slovenia. This was not announced in
advance since during his last visit he was welcomed by noisy protesters.
Today Governmental Office of Information is launching a 20.000 DEM worth
internet page:
web page: nato.gov.si
To give You a better insight in the details of slovenian govern-mental
PR, I have translated some FAQ on that site
1
Q: Will NATO if Slovenia becomes a member state establish military
bases or deploy nuclear weapons?
A: NATO doesn't plan to permanently station its forces on the teritory
of new memberstates therefore not also on the Slovenian teritory. In
three new memberstates (Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) they
haven't established no permanent military base nor nuclear wapons.
To run common exercises and to train allied forces from time to time
also in Slovenia there will be held joint exercises - as it has alredy
been done untill now (e.g. CAE - Cooperative Adventure Exchange in year
98' in SE part of Slovenia)
2
Q: Is it sensible to join NATO, since also EU is developing common
european security and defence policy?
A: EU doesn't plan to ensure colective security in the framework of
joint security and defence policy, therefore NATO remains the only
international organisation which can ensure that. Common European
security and defence policy is still in making. EU and NATO are
complementary organisations.
Membership in either of them alone still doesn't give all security,
political, economical and other guarantees, which are important for
Slovenia. That is why memberships in both EU and NATO are priorities in
Slovenian foreign policy.
3
Q: Is Slovenia giving away its souvereignity if it joins NATO?
A: No. NATO is a assocation of souvereign states and does not demand
the renouncement of the souvereignity of its memberstates. Decisions in
NATO are made unanimously, with agreement of all memberstates and never
with majority voting. Decision for membership is volontarily for each
state that wants to join this group of the most developed(in all
fields) states and in the frame of collective defence ensures the
highest possible level of security.
4
Q: Wouldn's Slovenia rather aspire for the status of neutrality, such
as Swiss and Austrians?
A: Austria as well as Swiss, Ireland, Sweden, Finland are formally
internationally accepted neutral stated, which have become such trough
different historical periods and from different reasons. An important
element of their status of neutrality was the respectation of it from
the side of other countries.
Today all countries listed are exceptionally active in NATO's programme
Partnership for Peace, since they are all aware, how importand is to
contribute to ensure the security on the european continent. In some of
those states there are debates on future of the neutrality status.
Almost all mentioned states give a lot of funds to the defence budgeta,
in average noticably more than majority of NATO members.
Dispite the longlasting neutrality of Swiss, which international
community has respected, the swiss citizens have decided on this year's
referendum that their soldiers can participate in international peace
operations.
5
Q: Why and for how much must Slovenia incrise it's military budget?
Slovenia must restructure its defence system accordingly to the
standards of memberstates of NATO primarily because of its own
security. Memberstate of the Alliance must provide necessary funds, to
fulfill it's obligations, that's why for the planning of restructuring
and modernisation of slovenian defence system it will be necessary to
ensure appropriate financial resources.
In year 2000 Slovenia has given 1,23% of the budget to the defence. In
this year it's planned that this procentage will be around 1,46% of
GDP, which means slightly more than 270 mil $, or some 5,15% of the
total budget of Slovenia. The procentage of funds for defence will be
slightly increased by year 2005 and will range around 1,5%. Number
mentioned (and procentage) is lower than that in NATO memberstates,
where average is around 2%.
6
Q: What will be the contribution in NATO and how much will it cost the
slovenian taxpayers?
A: Contribution of Slovenia for membership is supposed to be 1% of
those funds, which individual memberstate is giving for defence budget,
and considering temporary expenditures this would sum up to some 4 mil
USD per year. These funds go to NATO civil and military budget for
working of organisation and to execution of joint infrastructural
projects, accordingly to the decisions of the memberstates. When
Slovenia would become a member state it would be able to participate at
decisions on budget expenditures and it would also use the common
infrastructure. Each memberstate alone covers the costs for
establishing and functioning of its mission at NATO and
the participation of its forces in peace operations.
7
Q: Is it necessary to decide upon the membership on a referendum?
A: Referendum is possible, but it's not necessary for a country to come
to a decision. Out of three new CE memberstates of NATO, referendum was
only called in Hungary.
----------------
I'd also like to draw Your attention to the www public opinion
measurement:
http://nato.gov.si/slo/anketa/1004/
Do you support slovenian joining to NATO?
Yes 67 (42%)
No 67 (42%)
Don't know 24 (15%)
Total votes: 158
If You find any ideas or good arguments agains the answers abouve, you
can also write to Group Neutro ( neutro@... ) and visit
our no-budget site www.ljudmila.org/neutro which of course is more
informative and actually does have it's english pages :)
In EU campaign Slovenian government has given 0'1% - 0'5% of all funds
for NGO's to Eurocritical organisations. Nothing similar has happened
in the NATO campaign.
I't also fully unknown to us where the funds for slovenian Atlantic
Council (supposedily a NGO) come from:
http://www.atlantski-svet.org/
You can find links to this "NGO" but there is no link to Neutro page -
also a NGO !
With best wishes,
Blaz Babic, Group Neutro, Slovenia
------------------
slovenian version of first the article:
DELO, 12.11.2001, str.4
Od Slovenije pricakujemo, da bo koristila Natu"
intervju z Lord Robertsonom, generalnim sekretarjem Nata
Delo: Predvidevam, da si kot generalni sekretar zaveznistva zelite
siroko javno podporo kandidatk za clanstvo v Natu. Se vam zdi, da bi
bil referendum pravsnji nacin za potrditev nacrtov vlad?
Lord Robertson: Ne. Mislim, da je referendum zelo tog nacin in v bistvu
nepotreben. Javnost se kajpak mora strinjati, treba pa jo je nenehno
opazovati in obvescati. V Sloveniji deluje zdruzenje atlantski svet, ki
je pretekli mesec gostilo zdruzenje atlantskega sporazuma, vem da so
clani te organizacije in zagovarjajo stvar. Mocna podpora javnega
mnenja v prid clanstvu v Natu je izjemnega pomena za zaveznistvo in za
drzave, ki se vkljucujejo . Mlacna zavzetost za clanstvo lahko kvecjemu
pomeni, da se bo Nato spopadal s tezavami. Zato pricakujemo, da bodo
vlade kandidatk do vrha v Pragi uporabile vso energijo, da pridobijo
javnost in ji pojasnijo, kako pomembna sta Nato in natovska aktivnost.