Årsrapport 2018 fra NATO PAs præsident

2018
ANNUAL
PRESIDENTIAL
REPORT
NATO''s Parlamentariske Forsamling 2018-19
NPA Alm.del - Bilag 5
Offentligt
CONTENTS
Foreword by the President 4
Preface 7
Executive Summary 8
The Assembly Explained 10
2018 at a Glance 12
The Assembly’s Work – Perspectives from the Committees 14
The 2018 NATO Summit 16
Tackling Russia’s Multifaceted Challenge 18
Instability in NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood 20
Burden Sharing and Transatlantic Relations 22
Modernising Security and Defence 24
NATO’s Eastern Partners 26
The Western Balkans 28
The High North 30
North-East Asia 32
Afghanistan 34
Strengthening Women’s Role in Peace and Security 36
Education and Communication about NATO 38
The NATO PA’s Budget and Finances for 2017-2018 40
Appendix 1: 2018 Reports and Policy Recommendations 42
Appendix 2: The Assembly’s Elected Officers 43
A Year in Pictures 46
Original publication: February 2019
2018 ANNUAL
PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
4
Dear reader,
For many citizens in Europe and North America the choices our governments make about defence seem remote from
their daily preoccupations. As a member of the UK House of Commons’ Defence Committee for almost a decade, one of
my main missions has been to address this gap in perception.
Our nations face an unprecedented set of challenges and threats. Having turned its back on cooperation with the West,
Russia is using every opportunity to undermine our societies and values, sow division, and challenge long-standing
rules of international law. It has sought to interfere in elections in an increasing number of countries and used a deadly
military-grade prohibited chemical weapon on UK soil. These actions pose a direct threat to the security of our people.
The same is true of the terrorists of Daesh – some of them our own citizens, brainwashed by Daesh’s hateful ideology to
turn against their own state and nation. Daesh has certainly been weakened, but many of the factors which have allowed
it to prosper – including within our own societies – must still be addressed.
This is why defence matters, and this is why it is essential that legislators, as the elected representatives of the people,
are directly involved in shaping defence policies. Domestically, as members of their national parliaments, but also
through multilateral institutions, such as the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA).
No country can address challenges such as Russia or terrorism on its own. Europe and North America have long recognised
that they are each other’s best allies and that, by joining forces, they can make their citizens safer and serve as a pillar
of stability in the world. This was the premise behind the creation of NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – in
1949, and of the NATO PA in 1955. While NATO brings together the governments of its 29 member states, the NATO PA
gives parliamentarians a say in decisions affecting our common security.
This report illustrates how members of the Assembly have sought to enhance citizens’ awareness of today’s threats and
NATO’s role in addressing them, while representing their constituents’ concerns and interests in discussions over NATO’s
future course.
Much of the credit for the achievements described in this report go to my two immediate predecessors: Paolo Alli of Italy,
who served as the Assembly’s President until the expiration of his mandate with the Italian delegation to the Assembly
on 22 September, and Rasa Jukneviciene of Lithuania, who very ably fulfilled the remainder of Paolo Alli’s mandate until
my election on 19 November. Mr Alli represented the Assembly at the important Summit of NATO Heads of State and
Government in July where he presented the recommendations prepared by the Assembly’s 266 members of parliament
from Europe and North America. Ms Jukneviciene in turn was the first Assembly President to travel to Eastern Ukraine,
right up to the line of contact separating Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed so-called separatists, to express our
solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.
I am determined to build on their achievements and to continue to give national legislators, through our Assembly, a voice
in debates about our common challenges and the best way to defend our citizens. Our nations must be prepared to respond
to challenges wherever they come from – the North, the South, the East or the West, in a 360-degree approach. To do this,
our governments and parliaments must spend more and better on defence, and they must ensure that Europe and North
America share the burden for our common security equitably. We should also continue to promote stability in Europe’s
immediate neighbourhood, from Ukraine and Georgia to the Western Balkans, as these regions’ security affects ours too.
Several of these nations are seeking to join NATO and we should encourage them to implement the necessary reforms.
FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
5
2019 will mark NATO’s 70th
anniversary. This will be an important opportunity for all members of the Assembly to
redouble efforts to explain to our citizens why defence matters to them and how NATO makes them safer. Many
of our citizens think of the NATO Alliance only in terms of our political, defence, and security responsibilities in hard
kinetic forms of deterrence. We need to build awareness of the vital role NATO and the Parliamentary Assembly play in
promoting science and technology, environmental, economic, and civilian aspects of security. I want us to do more to
demonstrate those aspects of our work by extending and widening the distribution of all of our reports, including this one.
Opportunities for outreach and educational work in 2019 when we celebrate the 70th
anniversary of our Alliance must
be part of our forward planning.
As the first woman elected President of our Assembly for a full term, I also want to promote awareness of the invaluable
work a growing number of women do in defence.
Our Assembly includes immense talent among both the more experienced and the younger generation, and I will give
each and every member the maximum opportunity to contribute to our important work, at the service of our citizens.
Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom)*
President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
* Madeleine Moon has been a member of the British House of Commons since 2005 and joined the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in 2010. She was elected President
of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly at the Assembly’s Annual Session in Halifax, Canada, in November 2018.
Then President Paolo Alli (Italy) and
then Vice-President Rasa Jukneviciene
(Lithuania) during the 2017 Spring Session
in Tbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2017
President Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom) and
outgoing President Rasa Jukneviciene (Lithuania)
at the end of the Assembly’s 64th
Annual Session in
Halifax, Canada, 19 November 2018
6
NATO is a remarkable success story. For 70 years, it has remained the cornerstone of its members’ security, successfully
adapting to successive transformations in the political, security, economic, and technological landscape.
The reason for NATO’s success is that it is based upon values and principles: the values of democracy, individual liberty,
and the rule of law, and the principle of collective defence.
That principle of collective defence – enshrined in Article 5 of the NATO Treaty – is probably the best-known aspect
of NATO, but it is the lesser-known founding values which define NATO as a community, provide its guiding compass,
and have enabled it to navigate through the various strategic upheavals that have taken place over the last
seven decades.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly – while being distinct from NATO itself – symbolises and embodies the Alliance’s
democratic credentials, and as an independent parliamentary body it has the freedom to address issues which do not
feature directly on NATO’s agenda - for sound institutional reasons – but which the Assembly deems of importance to
the NATO community of nations.
The Assembly’s reports are, of course, the most obvious method for the Assembly to discuss a particular subject, and
each year the Assembly’s Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Groups prepare, discuss and usually adopt reports
on about 15 topics. These reports – which are intended to be both accessible and informed – enjoy a readership which
extends well beyond the Assembly’s members, and they represent a valuable contribution to thinking on and analysing
many of today’s key international challenges.
Valuable as they are, they are but one tool among many that the Assembly provides to its members. The Assembly’s
various bodies hold up to 40 meetings per year, some involving just a few members, while others count participants in
the hundreds.
These meetings enable the Assembly’s members to engage with the full spectrum of policy makers and shapers, ranging
from Heads of State and Government and military and civilian officials to academics and analysts, as well as with fellow
parliamentarians from more than 30 non-member parliaments and interparliamentary assemblies.
Information about most of the Assembly’s activities is available on the Assembly’s website and through various forms of
social media, but this cannot do justice to the rich detail and many personal interactions that underlie the Assembly’s work.
It is through such activities that the Assembly’s members were alerted to the growing unease in the United States
Congress about burden sharing, well before it received new prominence in the 2014 Wales Summit Declaration and then
an even higher profile under the current United States administration.
Similarly, the Assembly’s engagement with non-member delegations from the Middle East and North Africa achieves far
more in promoting cooperation and understanding than any number of texts.
These are just two examples of where parliamentary diplomacy augments and complements other channels of
international engagement.
PREFACE
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
7
This annual report on the Assembly’s work is intended to illustrate the broad scope of the Assembly’s work and open a
window on the Assembly, particularly for those who are less familiar with its role and activities.
The Assembly provides its members - regardless of their political orientation or experience - with useful substantive
information and invaluable opportunities for exchanging views with fellow parliamentarians, NATO officials, and other
members of the policy community. In brief, the Assembly serves as a source of information, a forum for exchanging
views, and a crucible for developing and challenging new ideas. It thus adds a crucial parliamentary dimension to
international interactions. As a result, the Assembly not only enhances the ability of its members to conduct their national
parliamentary responsibilities related to foreign affairs and defence, it also serves to promote Alliance solidarity by
building indispensable parliamentary and public support for what the Alliance represents.
David Hobbs*
Secretary General, NATO Parliamentary Assembly
* David Hobbs (United Kingdom) has served as the Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly since January 2008. He first joined the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly’s International Secretariat in 1983 as Director of the Science and Technology Committee.
8
Gulf, the fight against Daesh and other terrorist groups,
and the political and security situations in key countries.
(Instability in NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood)
New complex challenges from all directions have
challenged previous assumptions and forced governments
in Europe and North America to reassess previous cuts in
defence spending, investment, and troop deployments.
This in turn has reignited transatlantic tensions over the
perceived imbalance in the resources invested in defence
on the two sides of the Atlantic. In 2018, Assembly
members reaffirmed their support for the commitments
undertaken by NATO Heads of State and Government in
the 2014 Defence Investment Pledge. (Burden Sharing
and Transatlantic Relations)
The combination of an increasingly volatile and unsettling
international situation and a changing global science
and technology (S&T) landscape makes Allied military
modernisation an urgent priority. In 2018, the Assembly
thus devoted considerable attention to defence S&T,
the challenges of cyber security and defence, and force
modernisation. (Modernising Security and Defence)
In 2018, the Assembly continued to champion the
Euro-Atlantic and/or European integration of its Eastern
European partners Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and
Ukraine. The Assembly maintains special partnerships
with Georgia and Ukraine – two countries in part occupied
by Russia. The Assembly fully respects the Republic
of Moldova’s neutrality enshrined in its constitution,
and supports the country’s reform efforts. (NATO’s
Eastern Partners)
The Presidential Annual Report serves as an introduction
to the NATO PA, presents the Assembly’s key activities in
2018, and supports institutional transparency.
NATO Heads of State and Government came together in
Brussels in July for an important Summit meeting, which,
despite some harsh rhetoric and publicly aired grievances,
reaffirmed Allies’ common vision of today’s threats
and NATO’s role in addressing them. The NATO PA was
represented at the Summit by its President – accompanied
for the first time by the Vice-Presidents – who presented
Allied legislators’ perspectives about the key priorities for
NATO. (The 2018 NATO Summit)
Russia continues to challenge NATO and NATO Allies with
a range of aggressive actions. In 2018, it used a military-
grade nerve agent on UK soil, attempted to hack the
computer network of the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and seized three Ukrainian
navy ships in the Kerch Strait. Throughout 2018 and across
all activities, the NATO PA continued to raise awareness
and build consensus among parliamentarians on ways to
counter the multifaceted challenge posed by this difficult
neighbour. The Assembly especially sought to highlight
Russia’s attempts to undermine Western democratic
institutions. (Tackling Russia’s Multifaceted Challenge)
The volatile security situation in NATO’s southern
neighbourhood remains a central preoccupation for the
Alliance. Consequently, the region featured prominently
on the 2018 NATO PA agenda. In particular, Assembly
lawmakers focused on the main drivers of instability
in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and in the
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
9
in 2018, this has been a violent and challenging year for
the country at all levels. Assembly members urged Allied
governments to remain engaged and continue to assist
Afghan authorities to build a durable democracy. After
the many challenges which affected the parliamentary
elections held in 2018, the country is due to hold
presidential elections in 2019. (Afghanistan)
The NATO PA has been an avid champion of the principle
that women are equal partners in the pursuit of peace
and security. Members continue to ensure that issues of
gender and security are mainstreamed into Assembly
activities. In 2018, the Assembly elected its first woman
President. It also released its fourth survey of national
implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS)
agenda, as laid out in United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1325. Encouragingly, parliaments reported a
greater and more diverse spectrum of contributions to the
WPS agenda. (Strengthening Women’s Role in Peace
and Security)
The Assembly serves as a vital link between NATO and
its citizens. A long-standing commitment to help clarify
what NATO is and why it matters goes hand in hand with
this mission. Today, opinion polls show that young people
in most NATO countries have limited knowledge of the
Alliance and often take peace and security for granted.
As a consequence, the Assembly created a Working Group
on Education and Communication about NATO in late
2017. In 2018, the Working Group moved beyond “needs
assessment” and towards several recommendations and
concrete projects. (Education and Communication
about NATO)
Stability in the Western Balkans remains crucial for Europe
and North America. The countries of the region have
come a long way in overcoming the difficult legacy of
the past. However they still confront a range of internal
and external challenges. Developments in recent years
have shown that NATO and the European Union cannot
take steady progress for granted. Assembly outreach
to the region thus remained a political priority in 2018,
which saw in particular a landmark agreement between
Skopje and Athens on the long-standing name issue.
(The Western Balkans)
As climate change opens new communication routes and
allows for greater exploitation of natural resources in the High
North, Russian military activity has increased significantly. In
2018, Assembly lawmakers continued to chart a course to
ensure the region remains an area of predictability, stability,
and cooperation, despite the potential for greater competition
and heightened tension. (The High North)
Stability in North-East Asia is crucial beyond the region,
including for Europe’s and North America’s security
interests. 2018 Assembly activities focused, in particular,
on the behaviour of the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea (North Korea), China’s rise on the international stage,
and strengthening the Assembly’s strong partnerships
with Japan and South Korea. (North-East Asia)
Throughout 2018, the Assembly has continued to follow
developments in Afghanistan closely. All Allied nations
have a significant interest in enduring peace and stability
in the country and the broader region. Despite renewed
international attention and commitment to Afghanistan
10
Partnerships with international institutions are of
paramount importance as well. Therefore, the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary
Assembly (OSCE PA), the Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly (PACE), and the European Parliament also
send delegates.
Other parliamentary delegations are invited on an ad hoc
basis. In the past, these have notably included delegations
from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Mediterranean.
WHAT?
The Assembly’s governing body is the Standing Committee.
It performs a wide range of political, administrative, and
financial tasks; it also coordinates the overall work of the
Assembly. It is composed of the Head of each member
delegation, the President, the Vice-Presidents, the
Treasurer, and the Secretary General, and the Chairmen of
all the Committees1
.
The President is elected by his/her peers to represent
the Assembly and act as its leading political officer. The
five Vice-Presidents, the President, and the Treasurer
collectively form the Assembly’s Bureau. The Bureau’s
main function is to ensure the overall guidance and
coherence of the Assembly’s policies and activities in the
interval between meetings of the Standing Committee; it
also acts as the “first responder” when internal or external
events require a decision or statement by the Assembly.
Five Committees (including their eight Sub-Committees)
are charged with examining the security and policy
challenges confronting Allied countries and are responsible
for most of the Assembly’s substantive work:
• the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security
• the Defence and Security Committee
• the Economics and Security Committee
• the Political Committee
• the Science and Technology Committee
Other Assembly bodies include:
• the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group
• the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council
• the Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council
WHY?
Since its creation in 1955, the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly (PA) has brought together members of parliament
from all Allied nations. The Assembly serves as a unique
parliamentary forum to discuss and influence decisions on
Alliance security.
The Assembly – made up of representatives of national
parliaments – is institutionally separate from NATO,
where decisions are made by representatives of national
governments. As such, the Assembly’s views are not legally
binding on NATO or its governments. However, the NATO PA
serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments
of its member nations, and it thus maintains a constructive and
active dialogue and cooperation with NATO.
The NATO PA:
• facilitates parliamentary awareness and understanding
of the key issues affecting the security of the Euro-Atlantic
area;
• supports national parliamentary oversight over defence
and security;
• helps strengthen the transatlantic relationship;
• promotes the values underpinning the Alliance;
• provides greater transparency to NATO policies;
• fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives
and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance.
The Assembly brings together 266 members of parliament
from the 29 NATO national parliaments. Each delegation’s
size is related to its country’s population, and each delegation
must reflect the political composition of its parliament.
The Assembly’s membership, therefore, represents a broad
spectrum of political opinion within the Alliance.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly continuously responds
to the changing security environment. Partnerships with
lawmakers from countries seeking a closer association with
NATOarethereforeessential.EvenbeforetheColdWarended,
the Assembly reached out to members of parliaments from
the Warsaw Pact, and today the Assembly’s partnerships
are wide and deep. The NATO PA welcomes delegates from
12 associate countries and four Mediterranean associate
countries. Observers from eight other countries take part in
its activities. Thus, the Assembly complements and reinforces
NATO’s own programme of partnership and cooperation.
THE ASSEMBLY EXPLAINED
1. This includes the Chairman of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group.
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
11
At the Annual Session, the Committees also produce policy
recommendations. Once adopted in the plenary sitting,
these are forwarded to the NATO Secretary General and
to national governments and parliaments. Although these
policy recommendations are not binding, NATO’s Secretary
General provides a written reaction to them, and they are
widely seen as important indications of political sentiment
on key topics within the Alliance.
The NATO PA’s activities do not stop here, however:
• The Rose-Roth Programme is an outreach effort to assist
partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic region, mainly in the
Balkans and the South Caucasus, as they continue to face
challenging transition processes. Particular attention is paid
to promoting the principles of democratic control of armed
forces and to the development of effective parliamentary
oversight of defence and the military.
• The NATO Orientation Programme is focused primarily on
young or newly elected members of parliament from NATO
and partner nations, as well as those newly assigned to
security or foreign affairs responsibilities. The programme
aims at providing an in-depth overview of NATO and its
evolving partnerships.
• The Parliamentary Transatlantic Forum in Washington DC
aims to provide an annual discussion of the state of the
transatlantic relationship.
• The President and the Bureau regularly represent the
Assembly at external events and conferences; they can
also hold separate high-level visits as a way to signal the
Assembly’s particular interest in a specific topic or location,
or in response to significant international events which call
for a quick Assembly reaction.
A NATO-Russia Parliamentary Committee was discontinued
in April 2014 following Russia’s military intervention in
Ukraine and its decision to annex the Ukrainian province of
Crimea in March 2014.
The International Secretariat, under its Secretary General,
is responsible for the bulk of research and analysis that
supports the Assembly’s Committees, Sub-Committees and
other groups, as well as all the practical and administrative
arrangements for all its activities and meetings.
HOW?
The Assembly organises some 40 activities every year,
bringing together between ten and 350 members of
parliament in various formats.
The Committees and Sub-Committees meet several
times during the year and organise visits to both NATO
and non-NATO countries. In these meetings, they receive
briefings from leading government and parliamentary
representatives as well as senior academics and experts.
Two particularly large-scale meetings are organised
each year: the Spring and Annual Sessions. During the
Spring Session, elected Committee and Sub-Committee
rapporteurs present draft reports for a first discussion.
The reports are then revised and updated for further
discussion, amendment, and adoption at the Annual
Session in the autumn.
WHO? - MEMBERSHIP AND NUMBER OF SEATS
Member States = 29
Delegates = 266
36
18
18
18
18
18
12
12
12
10
7
3 7
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
3
7
7
3
3
3
3
12
4,728
followers
on Twitter
(@natopapress)
6,070
people like the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly /
Assemblée parlementaire
de l’OTAN on Facebook
335
NATO PA
members active
on Twitter
24
photo
albums
published
(on Flickr)
79
official press
releases
published on the
NATO PA website
SOCIAL MEDIA/COMMUNICATION (AS OF 18/12/2018)
2018 AT A GLANCE
2,540+
delegates
participated in
Assembly activities
75
female members
of the Assembly
(18.8 %)
22
women hold
elected positions
in the Assembly
(25.3 %)
323
male members
of the Assembly
(81.2 %)
65
men hold elected
positions in the
Assembly
(74.7 %)
390+
members of
parliament participated
in Assembly activities
THE FIVE LARGEST ASSEMBLY ACTIVITIES
CURRENT MEMBERS’ LENGTH OF SERVICE AT THE NATO PA
(IN YEARS)
800+
733
244
160
Participants
at
the
64
th
Annual
Session
in
Halifax,
Canada
Participants
at
the
Spring
Session
in
Warsaw,
Poland
Participants
at
the
Joint
Committee
Meetings
in
Brussels,
Belgium
Participants
at
the
97
th
Rose-Roth
Seminar
in
Batumi,
Georgia
Participants
at
the
98
th
Rose-Roth
Seminar
in
Skopje
146
0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10+
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
13
PLACES VISITED
1. Azerbaijan
2. Belgium
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Canada
5. Czech Republic
6. Estonia
7. France
8. Finland
9. Georgia
10. Hungary
11. Iceland
12. Japan
13. Lithuania
14. Montenegro
15. Norway
16. Poland
17. Portugal
18. Qatar
19. Republic of Korea
20. Republic of Moldova
21. Saudi Arabia
22. Serbia
23. Spain
24. Republic of North Macedonia
25. Ukraine
26. United Arab Emirates
27. United States
4
2
7
23
11
19
21
10
25
20
22
17
12
27
22 24
14
18
26
9
1
9
5
6
8
13
16
15
11
3
14
DEFENCE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE
“The NATO Parliamentary Assembly serves as a clearing
house for information about issues directly related to
the peace and security of NATO member states and their
partners. With direct access to NATO decision makers
and national leaders in meetings and on parliamentary
missions, as well as via an excellent in-house research
staff at the international secretariat in Brussels, NATO PA
members are well equipped to inform and shape debates
about critical issues in their home parliaments.”
Hon. Michael R. Turner (United States), Chairperson since
November 2018
COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIL DIMENSION
OF SECURITY
“The work of our NATO PA Committee on the Civil Dimension
of Security has been invaluable within the framework of
our duties as parliamentarians in a changing multipolar
world which has become more dangerous than ever. The
exchange of ideas and experience with our colleagues from
the European and transatlantic communities has allowed us
a much better collective geostrategic awareness of multiple
hybrid and often hidden threats, with tools and models to
try and deal with them, most notably in the fields of cyber
security, sovereignty and the fight against terrorism.”
Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam (France), Chairperson since October 2017
THE ASSEMBLY’S WORK – PERSPECTIVES
FROM THE COMMITTEES
ECONOMICS AND SECURITY COMMITTEE
“Participation in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly gives me
the opportunity to acquire information on the most recent
scientific advances, the introduction of new technologies, the
development of new types of armaments, and the latest
methods and resources used in combating terrorism. The
annual parliamentary meetings with the OECD provide an
excellent outlook on the global financial situation and on
developments in the education sector, as well as an objective
view on Latvia’s position among other developed countries. All
these aspects contribute to improving our national legislation.”
Ivans Klementjevs (Latvia), Chairperson since October 2017
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
15
POLITICAL COMMITTEE
“Although NATO is a defensive alliance, the political
dimension is never far away from our considerations.
Theopportunitytoshareopinionswithparliamentarians
of all the NATO nations is extremely valuable to me in
directing the activities of my Committee.”
Rt. Hon. Lord Campbell Of Pittenweem (United Kingdom),
Chairperson since November 2018
“Parliaments not only oversee the policies and activities of
their defence and foreign ministries, they can both supplement
and enact those policies. The NATO PA provides a dynamic
platform for active parliamentary diplomacy, information
exchange, and cooperation. Thanks to the NATO PA staff, the
Political Committee has been an invaluable resource for every
MP involved in defence and security matters.”
Ojars Eriks Kalnins (Latvia), Chairperson from October 2015 to
November 2018
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
“Being a member of the NATO PA helps me to be a better
parliamentarian at home. Through my membership of the
Assembly, I have access to more information than just what
I receive from my government. And I have been able to build
up an international network of contacts, which is very useful.
Especially being a member of the Science and Technology
Committee is very useful. The Committee deals with topics
that are not often on the agenda of national parliaments
and governments. It follows trends and new technologies in
defence and cyber security and looks at how the global S&T
world is changing. For NATO countries it is very important to
stay abreast on the S&T edge and collaborate in this field.”
Maria Martens (Netherlands), Chairperson since October 2018
MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE EAST
SPECIAL GROUP
“Given the strategic challenges to the Alliance’s security on
its Southern Flank as well as in the Mediterranean and the
Middle East, the GSM – which it is an honour to chair – is a
unique forum for dialogue and exchange, where challenges
are shared and solutions are pursued collectively.”
Philippe Folliot (France), Chairperson since September 2018
16
THE 2018 NATO SUMMIT
The 2018 NATO Summit came amid a period of serious
transatlantic differences: over trade, with the United
States and the European Union on the one hand and the
United States and Canada on the other engaged in difficult
re-negotiations; over the Iranian nuclear deal, which the
United States renounced but which European parties
continued to support; over international agreements
on climate change, from which the United States is
withdrawing; and, most directly relevant for NATO, over
Washington’s sharp criticism of the ongoing gap in defence
spending between the United States and the other Allies.
A key milestone for NATO – and the Assembly – in 2018
was the Summit meeting of NATO Heads of State and
Government held in Brussels on 11-12 July. NATO is strictly
an intergovernmental organisation, meaning that all its
policies are decided collectively by its 29 member states,
each represented on a daily basis by an ambassador and
several times a year by ministers. Every other year, generally,
the Heads of State and Government of the 29 also get
together to review NATO’s strategic priorities. On these
occasions, the Assembly – represented by its President – is
invited to present parliamentarians’ perspectives.
“In many countries we take freedom and peace for granted
[…] Our Assembly [is] working to educate and convince our
publics that spending for defence is investing for the future.”
Paolo Alli (Italy), President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (November 2016-September 2018)
Opening Ceremony of the Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government, Brussels, 11 July 2018 Photo Credit: NATO
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
17
Members of the NATO PA Bureau attending the Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government,
Brussels, 11 July 2018
capabilities, and contributions to operations”. For the
first time, the Assembly’s Vice-Presidents were invited
to witness the President’s address. The President also
spoke at a public conference organised on the margins
of the Summit, where, together with United States
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, he affirmed the
unwavering support of parliaments on both sides of the
Atlantic for NATO.
The special declaration on “Affirming NATO’s Unity and
Credibility at the Brussels Summit” authored by then
Vice-President Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (United
Kingdom) and adopted by the Assembly ahead of the
NATO Summit in turn noted “the continuing need to
modernise NATO’s structures and processes to ensure
that it adapts to evolving security challenges” and “the
importance of explaining and demonstrating to citizens in
Europe and North America how the resources invested in
defence – including NATO – contribute to their security”.
As the next chapters illustrate, the Brussels Summit
featured prominently across many of the Assembly’s
discussions throughout 2018.
These heavy political clouds loomed over the NATO
Summit, which took place just a few days after a difficult
G7 meeting and shortly before a bilateral summit
between the United States and Russian Presidents in
Saint Petersburg. All experts addressing the special
meeting of the Assembly convened the day before the
opening of the NATO Summit spoke of unprecedented
uncertainty about the Summit’s outcome.
Indeed, the Summit did see harsh rethoric and publicly-
aired grievances over burden sharing and energy deals
with Russia, but the decisions taken by NATO leaders
affirmed Allied unity and strengthened NATO’s response
to the entire range of challenges facing Allies. As such,
it confirmed the adaptation initiated in 2014 following
Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s province of Crimea
and the global threat then posed by Daesh.
Addressing NATO leaders on the first day of the Summit,
then NATO PA President Paolo Alli (Italy) stressed that
“the NATO PA has long recognised unfair burden sharing
as a threat to Allied unity” and “urge[d] parliaments and
governments to close the transatlantic gap on spending,
18
TACKLING RUSSIA’S
MULTIFACETED CHALLENGE
Russia continues to challenge NATO’s will with a range of
aggressive actions – from conventional sabre rattling to
destabilising hybrid tactics. In 2018, Russia’s reckless and
aggressive behaviour in defiance of international norms
included some striking examples. In the United Kingdom,
Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to poison Sergei
and Yulia Skripal, leading to the death of a British citizen.
In the Netherlands, Moscow attempted to hack the
computer network of the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and in Ukraine, its navy
seized three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait.
At NATO’s Brussels Summit, Allied leaders made it clear
there can be no return to ‘business as usual’ until Russia
changes this pattern of behaviour.
The Assembly continues to support NATO’s dual-track
approach to Russia based on strong defence and
deterrence on the one hand and meaningful dialogue
on the other. In their declaration ahead of the Brussels
Summit and at the Annual Session in Halifax, Assembly
lawmakers reiterated their backing of current sanctions
against the Russian regime.
Since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its armed
support to separatist militants in Eastern Ukraine, the
Assembly expelled the Russian parliament from the NATO
PA. The NATO PA remains open to resuming parliamentary
dialogue once Russia demonstrates willingness to respect
international laws and norms.
“We must continue to
strengthen the deterrence
on the eastern flank
because we don’t see,
up to now, any change
in the behaviour of the
Russian Federation.”
Paolo Alli (Italy), President of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly (November 2016 –
September 2018)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressing the NATO PA during the Spring Session in Warsaw,
Poland, on 28 May 2018 Photo Credit: NATO
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
19
Ahead of the Annual Session in Halifax, then President
Rasa Jukneviciene (Lithuania) noted that Russia was
using hybrid tactics to undermine Western democratic
institutions from within. Therefore, “parliaments and
elections are the new frontlines of our security,” she said.
In her 2018 report and resolution, Susan Davis (United
States) tackled Russia’s use of cyber and information
operations to undermine democratic processes in Allied
countries. She told her peers that “like a vicious virus,
disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks have
exploited our weaknesses and vulnerabilities”. She thus
calls on Allies to strengthen their election infrastructure
and democratic institutions.
Lord Jopling (United Kingdom) delved deeper into Russian
tactics in a 2018 report and resolution. “Moscow’s use
of hybrid techniques is neither random nor spontaneous.
It is a manifestation of a well-thought out, well-funded,
and coordinated strategy,” he writes. He therefore remains
“convinced that the Allied leaders should initiate the drafting
of the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept” (the last one dates
back from 2010, before Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea).
Moscow also continues to wield its energy resources as
a political weapon. “We need to understand the links
between Russia’s energy business and its aggressive
geopolitical posture,” said Ausrine Armonaite (Lithuania),
author of a report and resolution on energy security. While
visiting Azerbaijan, an Assembly delegation discussed the
prospect of the Southern Gas Corridor as a major step in
diversifying the energy supply base of southern Europe.
Throughout the year, the NATO PA continued to raise
awareness and build consensus among parliamentarians
on ways to counter the challenges posed by this difficult
neighbour. The Assembly has expressed its solidarity with the
United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Georgia, and other
countries targeted by the Kremlin and its proxies.
In his 2018 report and resolution, Joseph A. Day (Canada)
called for stronger defences on the Alliance’s eastern
borders to counter a Russian military build-up. “The current
configuration of conventional forces in the Alliance’s
eastern territories remains insufficient”, he argues. “A
robust and effective defence of all of NATO’s territories
and populations is essential”.
In June, then President Paolo Alli (Italy) and a delegation of
Assembly members visited troops deployed under NATO’s
enhanced Forward Presence in Estonia. The delegates
strongly supported initiatives to ensure the availability
and mobility of NATO deployable forces if Russia were to
attempt any military reaction inside of Alliance territory.
The Assembly’s declaration ahead of the NATO Summit in
Brussels thus called on NATO governments “to continue to
ensure the sustainability and readiness” of troops deployed
in the East, and “to remove […] legal and regulatory
impediments to the mobility of Allied forces in Europe”.
The Summit endorsed important measures to address
these issues, including a NATO Readiness Initiative, the
establishment of two new military commands – one for the
Atlantic and another to oversee troop movements across
Europe – and a timeline for enhancing military mobility in
close cooperation with the European Union.
Colonel István Topor, Commander of the NATO Force
Integration Unit (NFIU) in Székesfehérvár, Hungary,
welcoming members of the Sub-Committees on
Democratic Governance and on Transatlantic Defence
and Security Cooperation, 1 October 2018
Photo Credit: NFIU HUN PAO
Ausrine Armonaite (Lithuania), Rapporteur of the
Sub-Committee on Transition and Development,
presenting her report The Energy Security
Challenge in Central and Eastern Europe during
the Assembly’s 64th
Annual Session in Halifax,
Canada, 17 November 2018
20
INSTABILITY IN NATO’S SOUTHERN
NEIGHBOURHOOD
and Syria, “[…] terrorism is not dying: it will find new and
unpredictable ways of reappearing”. Thus, he added, “we
must increase our attention to the Southern Flank and the
commitment against terrorism”.
Military and security responses remain essential. NATO
governments played their part by supporting the Global
Coalition Against Daesh. President Madeleine Moon
(United Kingdom) highlighted in a report the important
role that Special Operation Forces in particular play
in counterterrorism.
At the same time, in their declaration for the Brussels
Summit, Assembly members called on NATO governments
“to strengthen support to defence capacity-building in the
partner countries of the southern shores” so they can better
address security challenges. They highlighted the essential
role of NATO’s Hub for the South as a platform for dialogue
and cooperation with southern partners on common
security challenges. In Brussels, Allied Heads of State and
Government officially declared the Hub’s full capability.
The volatile security situation in NATO’s southern
neighbourhood remains a preoccupation for the Alliance.
Consequently, the region featured prominently on the
2018 NATO PA agenda. In particular, Assembly lawmakers
focused on the main drivers of instability in the Middle
East and North Africa (MENA), the fight against Daesh
and other terrorist groups, and the political and security
situations in key countries.
In his report and resolution on the Alliance’ southern
neighbourhood, Julio Miranda Calha (Portugal) argues
that economic, social, and environmental problems are
key drivers feeding the unstable security situation in
the MENA region. Violent extremists and armed political
groups exploit these problems to operate with ease and
recruit freely.
The fight against Daesh and other terrorist groups
remains a top priority. When then President Paolo Alli
(Italy) addressed the 2018 Brussels Summit, he offered
words of caution. While Daesh is being defeated in Iraq
Julio Miranda
Calha (Portugal),
General Rapporteur
of the Political
Committee,
presenting the
PC’s resolution
Reinforcing NATO’s
contribution to
Tackling Challenges
from the South
during the
Assembly’s 64th
Annual Session in
Halifax, Canada,
19 November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
21
“If the Alliance wants to stabilise its southern neighbourhood
it needs to continue, and indeed increase, its attention and
support for its partners in the Mediterranean.”
Julio Miranda Calha (Portugal), General Rapporteur of the Political Committee
To tackle the refugee and migrant crisis, the Assembly urges
the international community to encourage the countries
of origin to address the factors making people leave their
homes. NATO has been assisting with the management of
refugee flows in the Mediterranean, hand in hand with the
EU. However, NATO Allies must further increase support for
adequate search and rescue capabilities in the Mediterranean
Sea, urges Jane Cordy (Canada) in another report.
The Gulf region remains another area of concern for the
Assembly. The Assembly thus drafted a GSM report on
recent developments and visited the United Arab Emirates,
Saudi Arabia and Qatar to gain first-hand impressions.
Carlos Costa Neves (Portugal) – the report’s author –
notes the region represents an important challenge for the
Alliance. “Conflicting national interests, the Iranian issue,
the Qatar crisis, and the war in Yemen constitute major
barriers to substantial progress”.
NATO Allies and Gulf countries can do more to strengthen
their cooperation. “The NATO PA has a great role to play in
that regard and should help foster dialogue between all
actors involved in the Gulf region,” Mr Costa Neves argues.
Surveying the security situation across the MENA
region, Mr Calha notes, “the Libyan civil war resulted in
unregulated proliferation of weapons, explosives, and
military equipment”, with al-Qaeda and Daesh being the
clear beneficiaries.
Iraq remains a vulnerable – potentially unstable – country.
Many of the root causes that led to the emergence of
Daesh are still present. In 2018, the Iraqi government thus
asked NATO to launch a training and capacity-building
mission. Speaking at a special meeting on Iraq and Syria
at the Annual Session in Halifax, the Deputy Speaker of
the Iraqi Parliament, Basher Khalil Tofiq, called on his
colleagues “to support Iraq economically and security-
wise in order to restore the infrastructure that has been
destroyed in the battles while fighting terrorism”.
The war in Syria fuels radicalisation and the refugee and
migrant crisis. Support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah has
enabled the Assad regime to regain control of large parts
of the country. Consequently, Syria’s war has mutated into
a largely geopolitical conflict between outside powers.
Mr Calha stresses that only a diplomatic solution between
all responsible stakeholders can lead to success.
H.E. Ms Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) of the United Arab Emirates, briefing
members of the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group and of the Sub-Committee on Technology Trends
and Security during a meeting with members of the FNC in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 10 January 2018
22
BURDEN SHARING AND
TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS
support for NATO and for a robust US role in NATO” while
noting that “[a]s politicians, we should also be acutely
aware that strong and sustained political support for
NATO depends on there being a fair and equitable sharing
of the burden in the Alliance.” Assembly Presidents and
members heard this same message consistently during
their multiple visits to the United States throughout 2018.
In his report on the topic, Attila Mesterhazy (Hungary) noted
the substantive shift in the long-standing burden sharing
debate that was made at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales,
when Allies committed to moving towards dedicating 2 %
of their GDP for defence spending by 2024 – 20 % of which
would fund new equipment and R&D. Parliaments should
think about the burden sharing debate in terms of “the needs
for a unified Allied commitment to fulfilling the political goals
they have set for themselves to tackle the new security
environment and thereby continue to guarantee the peace
and security of NATO populations and territory”, he stressed.
New complex challenges from all directions, particularly the
East and the South, have challenged previous assumptions
and forced governments in Europe and North America to
reassess previous cuts in defence spending, investment,
and troop deployments. This in turn has reignited
discussions over the perceived imbalance in the resources
invested in defence on the two sides of the Atlantic.
Due to the critical role parliaments play in determining
resourceallocationtodefencebudgetsandinthedeployment
of forces, burden sharing – as this issue is referred to – is a key
focus of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Members of the United States Congress – from both sides
of the aisle – have consistently called on their European
counterparts to take the measure of the current imbalance
and its impact on transatlantic solidarity. Brett Guthrie
(United States) thus stressed at the Assembly’s Annual
Session in Halifax “the strong bipartisan congressional
Attila Mesterhazy (Hungary), then Rapporteur of the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defence and Security
Cooperation, presenting his report Burden Sharing: New Commitments in a New Era during the 64th
Annual
Session in Halifax, Canada, 17 November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
23
“There is a new sense of urgency for all Allies to invest
the resources necessary to make our defence forces and
societies capable of handling the complex and disparate
security challenges facing them today.”
Attila Mesterhazy (Hungary), outgoing Rapporteur of the Defence and Security Committee Sub-Committee on Transatlantic
Defence and Security Cooperation
In her acceptance speech, President Madeleine Moon
(United Kingdom) further stressed that this discussion
required “tough decisions and honesty”. “I know that
moving towards the 2 % target is a struggle for a number
of countries and for delegates to this Assembly, but,
given the threats that we face, we all know that this is an
objective that we need to meet”, she stated.
The year 2018 was marked by other differences in
transatlantic relations, notably over the Iranian nuclear
deal, climate change, and trade. While these have not
directly affected NATO as such, Faik Oztrak (Turkey), author
of a report on trade, warned that “[o]ur Alliance’s long-
term success hinges not only on our military readiness and
shared values, but also our capacity to maintain vibrant
economies and to resolve economic disputes in a calm and
effective manner”.
The United States is redoubling its investments in
European security via the European Deterrence Initiative
(EDI), resulting in an increased United States presence in
Eastern Europe as well as more exercising, infrastructure,
equipment prepositioning, and capacity building. Europe
and Canada are also doing more, increasing their defence
spending by USD 87 billion since 2014 and expanding their
participation in missions, operations, and exercises. Many
Allies, however, still have far to go to reach the objectives
set in the Wales Defence Investment Pledge.
The Assembly’s declaration ahead of the Brussels Summit
as well as resolutions sponsored by Mr Mesterhazy and
Leona Alleslev (Canada) at the Annual Session in Halifax
encourage Allied parliamentarians to lead their national
parliamentary debates about defence spending and ensure
that their countries fulfil the Wales commitments.
Notes: Figures for 2018 are estimates
* Defence expenditure does not include pensions.
** With regard to 2018, these countries have either national laws or political agreements which call for at least 2 %
of GDP to be spent on defence annually, consequently these estimates are expected to change accordingly.
Defence expenditure, NATO July 2018.
Credit: NATO
DEFENCE EXPENDITURE AS A SHARE OF GDP (%) (Based on 2010 prices and exchange rates)
NATO guideline 2%
3.50
2.27
2.24 2.10
2.00 1.98 1.96
1.81
1.68 1.61 1.58 1.56
1.93
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
United
States
Greece
Estonia
United
Kingdom
Latvia**
Poland**
Lithuania**
Romania**
France
Turkey
Norway
Montenegro
Bulgaria
Portugal
Netherlands
Croatia
Germany
Canada
Denmark
Slovakia
Albania
Italy
Czech
Republic
Hungary
Slovenia
Spain
Belgium
Luxembourg
2014
2018e
1.36 1.35 1.30 1.24 1.23 1.21 1.20 1.19 1.15 1.11
1.08 1.01
0.93 0.93
0.55
24
MODERNISING SECURITY
AND DEFENCE
The Assembly also adopted Ms Alleslev’s resolution to
send a strong signal to NATO senior leadership as well as
Allied governments and parliaments: the Alliance must
maintain the S&T edge and enhance its agility.
Throughout 2018, Jean-Marie Bockel (France) examined
how the ongoing revolution in the space industry could
lead to increased interstate rivalry. His report welcomes
NATO’s new 2018 Space Policy and its commitment to
promote the non-militarisation of space. Consequently,
the Assembly adopted his resolution urging Allies “to
work to ensure that space remains an arena of global
cooperation despite its importance to national military
and intelligence establishments”.
President Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom) authored
a report on the need to increase investment in special
NATO faces an increasingly volatile and unsettling
international situation, and a changing global science and
technology (S&T) landscape presents new challenges to
Allied armed forces. In combination, these trends make
Allied military modernisation an urgent priority. In 2018,
the Assembly thus devoted considerable time and effort
to defence S&T, the challenges of cyber security and
defence, and force modernisation.
A report by Leona Alleslev (Canada) points to the real
possibility that the Alliance could fall behind in defence S&T
in the coming years. She therefore calls on Allies to live up
to their defence spending commitments under the Wales
Defence Investment Pledge, modernise defence innovation
and S&T policies, and make NATO fit for purpose. If they
fail to do so, “the Alliance could face a capability gap so
significant it would be challenging to remedy”.
Leona Alleslev (Canada), Special Rapporteur of the Science and Technology Committee, presenting
her report NATO Science and Technology: Maintaining the Edge and Enhancing Alliance Agility during
the Assembly’s 64th
Annual Session in Halifax, Canada, 18 November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
25
“NATO’s unrivalled defence
science and technology
(S&T) edge remains the
lifeblood of current and
future capabilities.”
Leona Alleslev (Canada), Special Rapporteur of the
Science and Technology Committee
and the Assembly’s declaration ahead of the NATO Summit
called for “the development of NATO-EU cooperation
and coordination (…) to enhance NATO and EU members’
response to common challenges and prevent duplication”.
In 2018, Assembly delegations also had excellent
opportunities to learn about the impact of rapidly changing
technology on international security. A visit to Boston and
New York provided useful insights on cyber security and
robotics, while in San Diego and Silicon Valley, members
learnt that artificial intelligence will be at the heart of
most – if not all – future cutting-edge technologies. In
addition, in Paris and Toulouse, members examined how
new commercial space vistas will transform the global
economy and could affect security relations.
Allied and partner efforts to bolster defensive capabilities
and drive military modernisation were in focus on visits to
Estonia, Finland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, Japan,
Portugal and Spain, and the United States.
operation forces, as they are better suited to deal with
asymmetrical threats from Russia, terrorist groups,
and lone-wolf attacks. Calling on Allies to step up, she
says NATO must “pay far more attention to how our
governments are funding, outfitting, and structuring
our armed forces”. Allied special operations forces “are
increasingly overtasked, under resourced, or insufficiently
built up for today’s requirements”.
Threats in the cyber and information space are becoming
absolutely critical. In a report focused on Russian
interference in democratic processes, Susan Davis (United
States) stresses the Assembly “cannot relent and must
continue to keep a sharp eye on cyber and information
threats”. She thus urges the Alliance to “become quicker
in analysing cyber threats and better in responding in a
coordinated, multidisciplinary way”.
In another cyber-related report, Matej Tonin (Slovenia)
examined how Daesh and other groups use encrypted
messaging,thedarkweb,andcryptocurrencies.Forsuchgroups,
these technologies play an important role in communications,
command and control, financing, and illicit acquisitions.
MrToninurgesAlliedintelligenceandlawenforcementagencies
to “better understand the evolving use of cryptographic
technologies as well as their opportunities and risks”.
Enhanced coordination between NATO and the EU on
disinformation, cyber, and hybrid threats is helping enhance
national and collective responses. Assembly members
exchanged on these issues with their colleagues from the
European Parliament at a joint high-level event in June,
Demonstration
at a robotics
company in
Chelmsford,
United States,
during the
Sub-Committee
on Transatlantic
Relations’ visit,
23 October 2018
26
NATO’S EASTERN PARTNERS
Then President Rasa Jukneviciene visited Ukraine twice.
This included a historic visit to Eastern Ukraine. In the
frontline village of Shyrokyne, she conveyed a message
of solidarity to Ukrainian soldiers in the face of Russia’s
ongoing aggression. In Kyiv, during a meeting with
President Petro Poroshenko, she praised efforts to anchor
Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration progress through
constitutional changes.
In November 2018, Russia seized three Ukrainian Navy
ships. President Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom)
immediately called upon Russia to release the captured
vessels and allow Ukraine to exercise its right to free
navigation in the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov.
In her 2018 report, Ulla Schmidt (Germany) examined
the implementation of urgent reforms in Ukraine. She
praised the adoption of numerous legislative packages
but highlighted the need to strengthen administrative
capacities to ensure efficient implementation. The 2019
presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine will
be another test of the country’s continued commitment
to reforms.
In 2018, the Assembly continued to champion the Euro-
Atlantic and/or European integration of its Eastern European
partners Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.
The Assembly remains a leading voice in promoting NATO’s
Open Door and partnership policies. Both Georgia and
Ukraine aspire to become members of the Alliance. While
constitutionally neutral, the Republic of Moldova seeks to
draw closer to Euro-Atlantic standards and institutions. The
Assembly and NATO fully respect the Republic of Moldova’s
neutrality and support the country’s reform efforts.
NATO and Ukrainian lawmakers continued their dialogue
in the framework of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary
Council (UNIC), which met in Odesa in March 2018.
Members reaffirmed the condemnation of Russia’s
illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory, its military
build-up in the Black Sea, and its ongoing violations of
the fundamental rights of local populations in Crimea.
UNIC co-chairs Iryna Gerashchenko, Vice-Speaker of the
Verkhovna Rada, and Raynell Andreychuk (Canada) called
on Allied parliamentarians to continue to build solidarity
and support for Ukraine in their respective parliaments.
Ulla Schmidt
(Germany), General
Rapporteur of the
Committee on the
Civil Dimension of
Security, presenting
her report Fostering
Democracy and
Human Rights
in the Black Sea
Region at the
Spring Session in
Warsaw, Poland,
26 May 2018
Photo Credit:
Chancellery of the Sejm
Krzysztof Białoskórski
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
27
“We must make
a firm political
commitment
to ensure
[Georgia’s
and Ukraine’s]
transformation
into fully fledged
members of
our community.
We have all
the resources
and experience
needed to
do this.”
Rasa Jukneviciene (Lithuania),
President of NATO Parliamentary
Assembly (September 2018 –
November 2018)
concern that the 2018 Presidential elections were
characterised by excessive polarisation, the abuse of
administrative resources, and an imbalance in resources
that created an unlevel playing field in Georgia.
Then President Jukneviciene also visited the Republic of
Moldova and met with the country’s senior political leaders
to highlight common security challenges and continued
partnership. The Republic of Moldova’s vector towards
European integration will face a very serious test in the 2019
parliamentary elections.
In her report, Ms Schmidt expresses concern about the
situation in the Republic of Moldova. She notes a polarised
society, under-reformed economy and political institutions,
as well as the unresolved dispute over the breakaway region
of Transnistria.
In April in Batumi, the Assembly reiterated its support to
the Euro-Atlantic integration and territorial integrity of
Georgia at a high-level Rose-Roth Seminar and a meeting
of the Georgia-NATO Interparliamentary Council (GNIC).
In the Black Sea town, Georgia’s then President Giorgi
Margvelashvili urged Assembly members to “lock down the
area of freedom” in Eastern Europe. Otherwise, he argued,
these countries would be lost due to Russia’s persistent
campaign to chip away at pro-Western sentiments.
The Assembly also facilitated a series of meetings
between a high-level Georgian parliamentary delegation
and senior NATO officials in Brussels in February 2018.
Georgia remains a leader of democratic transformation
in its region. However, Ms Schmidt’s report and the
Assembly’s election observer delegation expressed
Then President Rasa Jukneviciene (Lithuania) with Andriy Parubiy,
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, during a joint press briefing
at Gnutove checkpoint in Eastern Ukraine, 9 November 2018
Shelled building in the strategically located village
of Shyrokyne, Eastern Ukraine, 9 November 2018
28
THE WESTERN BALKANS
Raynell Andreychuk (Canada) takes a hard look at the
challenges in her 2018 report. Socio-economic progress
is limited, she argues. Nationalism, populism, and
radicalism are rising. Old and new forms of corruption
endure. Outside powers attempt to interfere in democratic
processes. Migration and refugee movements continue.
Ms Andreychuk therefore urges NATO and the EU to “become
more engaged and encourage the countries of the region to
continue their reforms with tangible and achievable goals”.
However, in 2018, the Assembly also saw encouraging signs
the region should continue to build on, and its declaration
ahead of the Brussels Summit called on NATO governments
“to reaffirm NATO’s Open Door policy” and “to outline a clear
membership perspective for aspiring countries”.
Montenegro, which joined NATO in 2017, offers an
excellent model for the region. During the visit by then
President Rasa Jukneviciene (Lithuania) to the country in
October, Montenegrin officials stressed the benefits which
NATO membership had already brought to the country and
its people, including increased appeal for foreign direct
investment and tourism. At the same time, Montenegro
Stability in the Western Balkans remains crucial for Europe
and North America. The countries of the region have
come a long way in overcoming the difficult legacy of
the past. However, they still confront a range of internal
and external challenges. Developments in recent years
have shown that NATO and the EU cannot take steady
progress for granted. Assembly outreach to the region thus
remained a political priority in 2018.
“The security of the
Western Balkans is
crucial for European and
Euro-Atlantic security.
What happens there
affects us all.”
Raynell Andreychuk (Canada), Rapporteur
of the Political Committee’s Sub-Committee
on NATO Partnerships
Senator Raynell
Andreychuk
(Canada),
Rapporteur of the
Sub-Committee on
NATO Partnerships,
presenting her
report Security
in the Western
Balkans at the
64th
Annual Session
in Halifax, Canada,
18 November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
29
in its support of a NATO Membership Action Plan for
the country. Members agreed that further Euro-Atlantic
integration helps equip governments in the region with the
tools to address ongoing political and economic challenges.
During Bosnia and Herzegovina’s October general elections,
Assembly observers saw genuinely competitive elections,
despite continuing segmentation along ethnic lines.
Then President Rasa Jukneviciene insisted that “[t]he
fundamental issues with the constitutional and legal
framework must be addressed”, while at the same time
saluting the “many election administration officials
committed to making the system work and many voters
committed to shaping their country’s future”.
Serbia-NATO cooperation is at an unprecedented level. In
Belgrade, an Assembly delegation stressed the NATO PA’s
respect for the choice Serbia has made with regards to
both NATO and the EU.
Then President Alli also visited Pristina, where he told the
political leadership that “the European project will not
be complete without the full integration of the Western
Balkans, and that includes Kosovo”. He noted the progress
made by Pristina on its European path and encouraged
Kosovo authorities to continue implementing reforms
and strengthening the rule of law. However, he also
urged prudence and warned of the dangers of unilateral
approaches, particularly in connection with Pristina’s desire
to transform the Kosovo Security Force into an armed force.
Earlier in 2018, the Assembly also organised a parliamentary
training programme for lawmakers from the Assembly of
Kosovo with NATO PA and NATO officials in Brussels.
had significantly increased its own contributions to NATO
and Allied defence, and was actively supporting its
neighbours’ path towards NATO and EU membership.
The name dispute with Greece had blocked the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s bids to join NATO and
the EU for many years. 2018 saw the historic signing of
the Prespa agreement, which establishes the name of the
Republic of North Macedonia and has opened the way for
Skopje to begin accession negotiations with NATO.
At the Rose-Roth Seminar held just days after the
agreement, Assembly lawmakers felt a palpable surge
of optimism in Skopje and commended the country’s
progress. Addressing the Assembly at the Annual Session
in Halifax, the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic
of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, stressed the benefits
and significance of the name agreement, stating that “we
are all winners because we opened the way for reason to
reach an acceptable solution for both sides […] we have
proved that when there is will, when there is a vision for
the future, everything is possible”. His words were echoed
by Christos Karagiannidis, Head of the Greek delegation
to the Assembly, who responded that “our wish, our will,
our hope is to live in peace with solidarity”. The Prespa
agreement, he said, can serve as a “paradigm for the
whole world”.
In the fall of 2018, NATO declared its readiness to accept
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first Annual National Programme,
if the country chooses to take the step. When Assembly
members visited Sarajevo, President Alli told fellow
lawmakers that the Assembly has always been consistent
Opening Session of
the 98th
Rose-Roth
Seminar held in
Skopje, 27 June 2018
30
THE HIGH NORTH
At the same time, the NATO PA advised governments
to pursue a cooperative approach. All stakeholders
must work hard to prevent competition from becoming
insurmountable. “NATO’s involvement in the Arctic must
be carefully calibrated to ensure that the Arctic remains
an area of cooperation and low tension,” writes Jane Cordy
(Canada) in her report.
Ms Cordy identifies search and rescue (SAR), scientific
research, and fisheries as areas where Arctic states could
further develop bilateral and multilateral cooperation with
Russia. She also underlines the need for additional SAR
assets to cope with a significant rise in human activities
in the region.
NATO PA lawmakers underscored the importance of
consulting indigenous communities on policies concerning
the Arctic. “When you talk about the Arctic, you are talking
about our homeland, you are talking about people. Security
in the North not only requires Inuit involvement, it requires
Inuit direction and oversight”, said Udloriak Hanson, a
government official from Canada’s northernmost territory,
Nunavut, at the Annual Session.
As climate change risks triggering greater competition for
natural resources and communication routes in the High
North, Russian military activity has increased significantly.
In 2018, Assembly lawmakers continued to chart a course
to ensure the region remains an area of predictability,
stability, and cooperation.
An Assembly resolution adopted at the Annual Session
in Canada – one of NATO’s Arctic members – expressed
concern over the scale and scope of Russia’s military build-
up in the Arctic. Moscow is revamping its Northern Fleet,
establishing military infrastructure across the region, and
dramatically increasing air and submarine movement.
The Assembly urged member states to adapt NATO’s
strategic posture in the High North to the new security
realities. The Alliance should, for example, support Allied
Arctic littoral states in developing adequate defensive
capabilities. Assembly members also called for more
joint exercises in the High North. They welcomed NATO’s
Trident Juncture exercise, hosted by Norway in 2018, as
a manifestation of renewed commitment to the collective
defence of the region.
Senator Jane
Cordy (Canada),
Rapporteur of the
Sub-Committee
on Democratic
Governance,
presenting the
Committee on the
Civil Dimension
of Security’s
resolution Security
and Cooperation
in the High North
at the 64th
Annual
Session in Halifax,
Canada, 19
November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
31
“Arctic Allies need to be
reassured in the face
of the ongoing Russian
military build-up.”
Jane Cordy (Canada), Rapporteur of the
Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security’s
Sub-Committee on Democratic Governance
In Norway, experts underlined that climate change has
caused the Artic to warm up twice as fast as other parts
of the world. In 2015, the Assembly recognised climate
change related risks as significant threat multipliers,
as well as climate change’s potential impact on NATO
planning and operations.
To acquire first-hand knowledge of the political, security,
and environmental situation, the Assembly organised
several visits to the High North. During the joint visit to
Oslo, Bodo and Evenes, Norwegian officials and Assembly
members discussed the need to strengthen NATO’s northern
flank. Interlocutors stressed the imperative of enhancing
preparedness, supporting Allied assets on Norway’s
territory, and improving Alliance situational awareness.
In Helsinki, NATO parliamentarians learned how Arctic
Finland is coping with the new global and regional security
situation. Helsinki emphasised its commitment to the
principle of self-reliance and its role as a valuable security
partner in the Euro-Atlantic community.
In May 2018, then President Paolo Alli (Italy) also travelled
to Iceland to discuss security in the North Atlantic in the
run-up to the NATO Summit in Brussels.
Members of the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defence and Security Cooperation and then President Paoli Alli
(Italy) during their visit to the Kaarti Jaeger Regiment on Santahamina Island, Helsinki, Finland, 13 June 2018
32
NORTH-EAST ASIA
The issue was also central to interparliamentary
exchanges with lawmakers from South Korea and Japan in
2018. Indeed, an Assembly delegation visited South Korea
at the time of the intra-Korean Summit in Pyongyang
in September. Members gathered timely insights
into the latest developments and explored avenues
for strengthening cooperation between the National
Assembly and the NATO PA.
Stability in North-East Asia is crucial beyond the region,
including for Europe’s and North America’s security
interests. Indeed, deepening tensions in North-East Asia
have important repercussions for NATO member states.
Consequently, NATO has global partnerships with Japan
and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Both remain
crucial interlocutors for the Assembly as well.
In recent years, the NATO PA has followed security
developments in this area closely. 2018 Assembly
activities focused, in particular, on the behaviour of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea),
China’s rise on the international stage, and Alliance
partnerships in the region.
North Korea is a source of considerable concern for
international security, particularly because of its nuclear and
ballistic missile programmes. However, the past year saw
welcome diplomatic activities on this issue. Following the
June Summit between United States President Donald Trump
and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un in Singapore,
then President Paolo Alli (Italy) stated that this “historic
meeting brings new hope of peace and denuclearisation on
the Korean peninsula”.
“The developments on
the Korean peninsula
and the policies
pursued by the regime
in Pyongyang pose a
serious security threat to
NATO and its partners.”
Gerald E. Connolly (United States), Rapporteur
of the Political Committee’s Sub-Committee on
Transatlantic Relations
Congressman
Gerald E. Connolly
(United States),
Rapporteur of the
Sub-Committee
on Transatlantic
Relations,
presenting his
report North
Korea’s Challenge
to International
Security:
Implications for
NATO at the 64th
Annual Session in
Halifax, Canada,
17 November 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
33
The implications of the rise of China for regional and
global security were another important topic of discussion
during the visits to South Korea and Japan. In both
countries, there is recognition that China can exercise a
moderating role with North Korea. However, interlocutors
and Assembly members also voiced considerable concern
about China’s increasingly assertive approach towards
Japan and other countries in the region, particularly
Beijing’s territorial claims in the South and East
China Seas.
The visits to Japan and South Korea strengthened
the existing dialogue between the Assembly and the
Japanese Diet – the Assembly’s longest-standing partner
outside Europe – and the National Assembly of Korea.
Both South Korea and Japan are interested in developing
their partnerships with NATO further, members learned in
Tokyo. Japanese Minister of State Tomohiro Yamamoto
said that Japan plans to upgrade its representation at
NATO HQ by designating its embassy to Belgium as its
Mission to NATO. Tokyo also wants to cooperate with NATO
in the area of cyber security, NATO delegates learned.
Although Assembly parliamentarians and their colleagues
in Korea and Japan welcomed progress in the North
Korean nuclear talks, scepticism remained as to whether
Pyongyang is serious about abandoning its nuclear
programme. “North Korea’s steady advance towards a
nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile constitutes
a global threat that demands the engagement of NATO
and its member states”, warned Gerald E. Connolly (United
States) when presenting his report.
Mr Connolly argues that sanctions have had a limited
effect because of the North’s isolated economy. Moreover,
Pyongyang has developed methods of evasion like shell
companies, foreign-flagged ships, and criminal activities.
“We can’t develop amnesia about North Korea. We can’t
pretend the past did not occur,” he stressed. Pointing
to previous empty promises by Pyongyang, he told his
colleagues: “We need to manage expectations”.
Mr Connolly’s report emphasises the importance of
enforcing existing sanctions and, if necessary, adding new
ones. He suggests that NATO, through cooperation with
regional partners and maritime interdiction, could support
their enforcement.
Members of the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Relations in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during their
visit to Seoul, Republic of Korea, 19 September 2018
34
AFGHANISTAN
security developments in the country, as well as finding
ways to assist our peers in the Afghan parliament as they
work to build a durable democracy in the country.”
Despite renewed international attention, 2018 has been
violent and challenging for the country at all levels. The
year has been replete with high-profile attacks in Kabul
and other urban areas, alongside almost constant fighting
in vast areas of the countryside. As a result, casualty
rates among civilians and government forces remain at
unacceptably high rates, and the Taliban now control the
largest amount of territory since their initial defeat in 2001.
As the report authored by Wolfgang Hellmich (Germany)
stresses, regional dynamics are essential to build lasting
peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. As long as the
Taliban find sanctuary in Pakistan, the war will continue
in Afghanistan. In the absence of Afghanistan’s regional
partners incorporating the country into a functioning
regional economy, no chance for economic prosperity and
opportunity will arise in Afghanistan.
Increasing violence causing significant attrition of the Afghan
National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) is heightening
international attention on Afghanistan. The Assembly follows
developments in Afghanistan closely given the significant
interests all Allied nations have in enduring peace and
stability in the country and broader region.
Twenty-seven of 39 Allies and partners increased their
contributions to NATO’s training and assistance Resolute
Support Mission in Afghanistan in 2018, growing its personnel
to over 16,000. International efforts focus on key issues
undermining the Afghan security environment, particularly
sustainable, professional, and well-trained national forces
unhindered by the drain of institutional corruption. In parallel,
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s ANDSF Road Map is working
to do the same, as insufficient training, high rates of attrition
and desertion, and corruption are eroding the public’s trust in
the nation’s security forces.
President Madeleine Moon urged her colleagues to “remain
engaged with Afghanistan by following political and
Wolfgang Hellmich
(Germany), then
Special Rapporteur
of the Defence
and Security
Committee,
presenting his
report Afghanistan:
The Nexus of
Local and Regional
Security during the
Spring Session in
Warsaw, Poland,
27 May 2018
Photo Credit: Chancellery
of the Sejm Krzysztof
Białoskórski
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
35
“Our collective goal is to prevent Afghanistan from
ever again becoming a wellspring for international
terrorism. To achieve this goal, we will need a
functioning state to build a stronger nation capable
of handling the challenges it faces in a difficult region.”
Wolfgang Hellmich (Germany), outgoing Special Rapporteur of the Defence and Security Committee
and widespread violence. NATO parliamentarians at the
Assembly’s Annual Session in Halifax, Canada, stressed the
need to learn the lessons from this experience ahead of the
presidential elections planned for 2019. Initially scheduled for
April, these have been postponed to July.
The Assembly will continue to examine these and other
political and security developments in Afghanistan
throughout 2019.
At the Assembly’s Spring Session in Warsaw in May, Khalid
Pashtoon (Afghanistan) had warned his colleagues that “the
security situation has absolutely deteriorated” and raised
his concern that “the disruption and disturbance” caused by
the Taliban insurgency would negatively impact the holding
of parliamentary elections planned for October. Indeed,
despite strong international financial and security assistance,
these long-awaited parliamentary elections were plagued
with problems, including low turnout, poor organisation,
Soldiers in the Afghan mountains
36
STRENGTHENING WOMEN’S ROLE
IN PEACE AND SECURITY
In 2018, the Assembly also conducted – in cooperation
with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control
of Armed Forces – its fourth survey of parliamentary
implementation of UNSCR 1325. Dr Audrey Reeves of
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
was commissioned to analyse national responses and
presented the results at the Annual Session in Halifax.
For more than a decade, the NATO PA has been an
avid champion of the principle that women must be
equal partners in the pursuit of peace and security.
Parliamentarians can make an important contribution to
promoting the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda
as laid out in United Nations Security Council Resolution
(UNSCR) 1325.
In 2017, the Assembly adopted a set of measures to
mainstream gender in its work and promote a fairer
representation of women among Assembly members
and officers. In the same year, the Assembly’s Secretary
General published the first review of the progress achieved.
The second review will be presented in March 2019. Currently,
the President, two of the five Committee chairpersons, and
the designated Secretary General are all women.
Assembly members continue to ensure that issues related
to gender and security remain high on the NATO PA’s
agenda. However, during Assembly deliberations, several
NATO parliamentarians warned that recent achievements
are not irreversible.
“I want to ensure that we
remain in the vanguard
of promoting awareness
of the invaluable work
women do for our
collective security.”
Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom), President of the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
NATO’s Deputy
Secretary
General Rose
E. Gottemoeller
addressing the
NATO PA at the 64th
Annual Session in
Halifax, Canada,
19 November 2018
Photo Credit: NATO
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
37
gender balance in its network of scientists and engineers.
She considers this an important element in reversing the
erosion of the West’s leadership in science and technology.
The Assembly continues to engage NATO officials as
well. At the Annual Session, Clare Hutchinson, the NATO
Secretary General’s Special Representative for WPS,
discussed NATO’s new Policy and Action Plan, adopted by
Allied leaders in July 2018. Currently, 12 % of personnel
in NATO deployments are women. “This is not enough,
but we are getting there”, Ms Hutchinson told the
parliamentarians. “We need to mainstream gender in all
aspects of our work.”
Also addressing the Annual Session, NATO Deputy
Secretary General Rose E. Gottemoeller highlighted
the importance of pragmatic projects, such as NATO’s
support for the construction of Afghanistan’s Women’s
Police Town, which is a complex designed to ensure that
policewomen have a safe and secure environment to fully
integrate into the police force.
Encouragingly, Allied parliaments reported a greater
and more diverse spectrum of contributions to the WPS
agenda than they did in the two previous surveys. Joëlle
Garriaud-Maylam (France) urged parliamentarians to
replicate some of the best practices identified in the study.
In her report on democracy and human rights in the Black
Sea area, Ulla Schmidt (Germany) includes overviews on
the rights of women in the region. A visit to Qatar included
a specific discussion on women’s rights. Women are
assuming important leadership positions in Qatari society.
This is reflected in the high proportion of women studying
at universities. In Abu Dhabi, members learned of women
empowerment in the United Arab Emirates from Dr Amal
Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council. She
told her NATO PA peers that “no society can fly with only
one wing”.
In her report and resolution on NATO’s science and
technology edge, Leona Alleslev (Canada) urges NATO’s
Science and Technology Organization to improve the
Assembly members, including President Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom) and outgoing President Rasa
Jukneviciene (Lithuania), at the conclusion of the 64th
Annual Session in Halifax, Canada, 19 November 2018
38
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
ABOUT NATO
The Assembly serves as a vital link between NATO
and its citizens. A long-standing commitment to
help explain what NATO is and why it matters goes
hand in hand with this mission.
Today, opinion polls show that young people in
most NATO countries have limited knowledge of
the Alliance and often take peace and security for
granted. In an era where “fake news” can spread far
and fast, NATO is often the target of disinformation
campaigns by state and non-state actors alike. As a
consequence, the Assembly created a Working Group
on Education and Communication about NATO in late
2017, led by Dr Karl A. Lamers (Germany).
In the course of 2018, the Working Group moved
beyond “needs assessment”. The Group has
already generated several recommendations and
concrete projects. Early in the year, it introduced
the Assembly’s initiative to NATO communications
experts and discussed common strategies to reach
out to younger generations.
“The Cold War ended in 1991 –
this is now almost a generation
ago. Then many, or perhaps
most, schoolchildren had at
least a general idea about what
NATO was. […] Of course, the
world has changed – and so
has the Alliance. […] As NATO
moves toward its seventh
decade, engagement with our
young generation is essential.”
Karl A. Lamers (Germany), Chairperson of the Working Group
on Education and Communication about NATO and of the Political
Committee’s Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Relations
Dr Karl A. Lamers (Germany), Chairman of the Working Group on Education and Communication about NATO,
speaking alongside Robert Pszczel from NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division during the Working Group’s meeting
in Warsaw, Poland, 26 May 2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
39
Assembly members urged an emphasis on NATO as a
values-based Alliance. NATO PDD and the Working Group
agreed that education and information about NATO should
be conducted in a prudent manner. It cannot be – or even
be seen as – propaganda. Peter Juel Jensen, Head of the
Danish delegation, stressed the “importance of teaching
young people to think critically”.
The Assembly’s declaration for the Brussels Summit
called on NATO governments “to enhance efforts […] to
promote […] citizens’ understanding of the challenges and
requirements of our shared security with a particular focus
on the next generation”.
During its meeting at the 2018 Annual Session, the Working
Group decided to continue its work with a dual track
approach. First, it will complete its compilation of best
practices on school education and recommend concrete
projects for national consideration. The Working Group will
make this compilation available to NATO PDD. Second,
the Working Group decided to support NATO PDD’s project
NATO@70 in the framework of the 70th
anniversary of
NATO’s founding in 2019. The Group will also evaluate how
to help promote this project in member countries.
In parallel to the efforts of the Working Group, several
Turkish schools, in cooperation with NATO Allied Land
Command in Izmir, organised an educational simulation of
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s proceedings.
A workshop with NATO’s Public Diplomacy’s Division (PDD)
provided a good opportunity to brainstorm on ways to
generate synergies between the Working Group and PDD’s
own programmes. NATO PDD representatives welcomed
the creation of the Assembly’s Working Group and agreed
to cooperate as closely as possible.
The Working Group has argued that any successful
initiative to inform about NATO and related security issues
requires the inclusion of these issues in school curricula. “If
it’s not in the text book, it’s not a priority – and teachers do
not have authority to talk about it,” a NATO official agreed.
The Working Group’s 2018 meetings have been very
productive. Among others, the Group compiled an initial
package of best national practices on teaching about
NATO and related security topics. The compilation, along
with an in-depth review of best practices, led to several
possible leads. These include:
• more frequent visits of young people to NATO HQ;
• the launch of an international competition among
schoolchildren about NATO;
• more frequent visits to universities by NATO PA
delegates;
• the establishment of an equivalent of the Erasmus
programme on NATO and security issues;
• proactive use of YouTube by, for example, inviting
popular YouTubers to interview NATO leaders.
High school
students
from Turkey
participating in
an educational
exercise
simulating
the NATO
Parliamentary
Assembly
(“Model
NATO PA”),
Izmir, Turkey,
December 2018
40
Funding sources
Most of the Assembly’s funding is provided by contributions
from the parliaments or governments of member nations.
National contributions are determined according to the
same budget key used for the NATO civil budget (see the
repartition below). The Assembly also receives a subsidy
from NATO.
Over the past 20 years special contributions have been
made at various points by the United States Agency for
International Development, the Geneva Centre for the
Democratic Control of Armed forces, the Government of
Switzerland, Norway, Luxembourg, Denmark, and NATO to
support the Assembly’s Rose-Roth programme.
The Assembly’s budget
The annual budget presented below is used to cover
the International Secretariat’s operating costs. National
delegations are responsible for funding the participation
of their members in Assembly activities.
The Assembly’s budget amounted to EUR 3.8 million in
2017 and EUR 3.9 million in 2018. Execution of the budget
led to a surplus of EUR 94,000 at the end of 2017.
Budgetary process and audit
The Assembly’s Treasurer, a parliamentarian who is an
elected officer of the Assembly, and who ensures that
the budget is consistent with the Assembly’s political
objectives, is responsible for drafting the Assembly’s
budget. The Treasurer submits the draft budget to
the Standing Committee and the full Assembly for
consideration and adoption. The Secretary General
implements the budget under the oversight of
the Treasurer.
The Assembly’s finances are audited by the International
Board of Auditors for NATO (IBAN). In its audit, IBAN
considers whether, in accordance with the Financial
Reporting Framework adopted by the Assembly’s Standing
Committee, the information in the financial statements
fairly presents the financial position at the year-end and
the financial performance and cash flows for the year
then ended, and whether accounts are properly supported
by underlying records and source documentation. In
addition, IBAN also considers whether transactions are
in compliance with budgetary authorisations and the
applicable NATO regulations.
Because the audit takes place in the spring of the year
following the execution of each annual budget, the figures
below are the audited financial statements for 2017. The
2018 audited finances will be made public on the NATO PA
website in June 2019.
2017 contributions from member countries
Based on the NATO Civil budget key
Member countries New Key % Contribution
Albania 0,0837% € 3 152
Belgium 1,9336% € 72 816
Bulgaria 0,3262% € 12 284
Canada 6,6092% € 248 891
Croatia 0,2893% € 10 895
Czech Republic 0,9389% € 35 357
Denmark 1,1829% € 44 546
Estonia 0,1085% € 4 086
France 10,6339% € 400 455
Germany 14,6500% € 551 694
Greece 1,0874% € 40 950
Hungary 0,6911% € 26 026
Iceland 0,0519% € 1 955
Italy 8,4109% € 316 740
Latvia 0,1490% € 5 611
Lithuania 0,2281% € 8 590
Luxembourg 0,1399% € 5 268
Netherlands 3,1804% € 119 769
Norway 1,6993% € 63 993
Poland 2,7117% € 102 118
Portugal 0,9798% € 36 898
Romania 1,0726% € 40 392
Slovakia 0,4681% € 17 628
Slovenia 0,2122% € 7 991
Spain 5,7804% € 217 680
Turkey 4,3879% € 165 241
United Kingdom 9,8485% € 370 878
United States 22,1446% € 833 928
100,0000 % € 3 765 832
Montenegro € 593 (pro-rata contribution)
THE NATO PA’S BUDGET AND
FINANCES FOR 2017-2018
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
41
Statement of Financial Performance for the year ending 31st
December 2017
INCOME EXPENDITURE
ANNUAL BUDGET 2017 2017
Contributions Expenditure
Contributions from Member Countries € 3 765 832,00 Chapter 1 Personnel Costs € 2 754 584,23
NATO Subsidy € 51 600,00 Chapter 2 Operational Costs € 352 602,47
Chapter 3 Sessions € 336 334,93
Chapter 4 Missions, Seminars, External
Relations € 327 608,52
€ 3 817 432,00 € 3 771 130,15
Financed By Provisions and Prior Year Surplus
Update of the budget € 20 716,90
Use of provisions € 0,00
Funding Outreach Programme
Swiss Ministry of Defence € 30 000,00
€ 50 716,90
Total Budget for the Year € 3 868 148,90
Other Income
Investment Income € 1 593,83
Interest on Term Deposits € 692,19
Gains (Losses) on Exchange € -5 894,22
Other Income € 611,06
€ -2 997,14
Total Income € 3 865 151,76 Total Expenditure € 3 771 130,15
Excess of Receipts over Expenditure € 94 021,61
42
REPORTS
COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIL
DIMENSION OF SECURITY (CDS)
• General Report
Fostering Democracy and Human
Rights in the Black Sea Region
Ulla Schmidt (Germany)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Democratic Governance
Civil Protection in the High North
and in the Mediterranean
Jane Cordy (Canada)
• Special Report
Countering Russia’s Hybrid Threats:
An Update
Lord Jopling (United Kingdom)
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
COMMITTEE (DSC)
• General Report
Reinforcing NATO’s Deterrence in
the East
Joseph A. Day (Canada)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Future Security and Defence
Capabilities
NATO Special Operations Forces in
the Modern Security Environment
Madeleine Moon
(United Kingdom)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Transatlantic Defence and
Security Cooperation
Burden Sharing: New Commitments
in a New Era
Attila Mesterhazy (Hungary)
• Special Report
Afghanistan: The Nexus of Local
and Regional Security
Wolfgang Hellmich (Germany)
All Assembly reports and policy recommendations are available on the NATO PA’s website www.nato-pa.int.
ECONOMICS AND SECURITY
COMMITTEE (ESC)
• General Report
The Future of the Space Industry
Jean-Marie Bockel (France)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Transatlantic Economic
Relations
The International Trading System
at Risk and the Need to Return to
First Principles
Faik Oztrak (Turkey)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Transition and Development
The Energy Security Challenge in
Central and Eastern Europe
Ausrine Armonaite (Lithuania)
POLITICAL COMMITTEE (PC)
• General Report
Instability in the South
Julio Miranda Calha (Portugal)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on NATO Partnerships
Security in the Western Balkans
Raynell Andreychuk (Canada)
• Report of the Sub-Committee
on Transatlantic Relations
North Korea’s Challenge to
International Security: Implications
for NATO
Gerald E. Connolly
(United States)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE (STC)
• General Report
Russian Meddling in Elections and
Referenda in the Alliance
Susan Davis (United States)
• Report of the Sub-Committee on
Technology Trends and Security
Dark Dealings: How Terrorists Use
Encrypted Messaging, the Dark
Web and Cryptocurrencies
Matej Tonin (Slovenia)
• Special Report
NATO Science and Technology:
Maintaining the Edge and
Enhancing Alliance Agility
Leona Alleslev (Canada)
MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE
EAST SPECIAL GROUP (GSM)
Change and Continuity in the Gulf
Carlos Costa Neves (Portugal)
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
• Affirming NATO’s Credibility and
Unity at the Brussels Summit
Standing Committee
• Updating the Responses to Russia’s
Hybrid Tactics CDS
• Security and Cooperation in the
High North CDS
• Burden Sharing: New Commitments
in a New Era DSC
• Reinforcing NATO’s Deterrence in
the East DSC
• Opportunities and Challenges in a
Changing Space Arena ESC
• Energy Security: A Strategic
Challenge For The Alliance ESC
• Reinforcing NATO’s Contribution to
Tackling the Challenges from the
South PC
• Safeguarding Elections in the
Alliance STC
• Maintaining the Science &
Technology Edge and Enhancing
Alliance Agility STC
APPENDIX 1: 2018 REPORTS AND
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
43
APPENDIX 2: THE ASSEMBLY’S
ELECTED OFFICERS1
BUREAU OF THE ASSEMBLY
1. As of February 2019, following the elections held at the Assembly’s Annual Session in Halifax, Canada, in November 2018.
PRESIDENT
Madeleine
MOON
(United Kingdom)
Vitalino
CANAS
(Portugal)
The Rt Hon. Richard
BENYON
(United Kingdom)
Osman Askin
BAK
(Turkey)
Hon. Michael R.
TURNER
(United States)
Franklin
van KAPPEN
(Netherlands)
Marc ANGEL
(Luxembourg)
David HOBBS
VICE-PRESIDENTS
TREASURER SECRETARY GENERAL
44
COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIL
DIMENSION OF SECURITY
Chairperson
• Joëlle GARRIAUD-MAYLAM
(France)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Marc ANGEL (Luxembourg)
• James SENSENBRENNER
(United States)
• Mary Helen CREAGH
(United Kingdom)
General Rapporteur
• Ulla SCHMIDT (Germany)
Special Rapporteur
• The Rt Hon. Lord JOPLING
(United Kingdom)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
Chairperson
• Vitalino CANAS (Portugal)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Brett GUTHRIE (United States)
• Linda SANCHEZ (United States)
• Brigitte GROUWELS (Belgium)
Rapporteur
• Jane CORDY (Canada)
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
COMMITTEE
Chairperson
• Michael R. TURNER (United States)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Paul COOK (United States)
• Pierre PAUL-HUS (Canada)
• Andreas LOVERDOS (Greece)
General Rapporteur
• Joseph A. DAY (Canada)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON FUTURE
SECURITY AND DEFENCE
CAPABILITIES
Chairperson
• Joao REBELO (Portugal)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Rob BISHOP (United States)
• Juozas OLEKAS (Lithuania)
Rapporteur
• Lara MARTINHO (Portugal)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
TRANSATLANTIC DEFENCE AND
SECURITY COOPERATION
Chairperson
• Attila MESTERHAZY (Hungary)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Marko MIHKELSON (Estonia)
• Rick LARSEN (United States)
• Franklin van KAPPEN
(Netherlands)
Rapporteur
• Sir Nicholas SOAMES
(United Kingdom)
ECONOMICS AND SECURITY
COMMITTEE
Chairperson
• Ivans KLEMENTJEVS (Latvia)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Richard BENYON
(United Kingdom)
• Joe WILSON (United States)
• Menno KNIP (Netherlands)
General Rapporteur
• Christian TYBRING-GJEDDE
(Norway)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
45
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
TRANSITION AND
DEVELOPMENT
Chairperson
• Michal SZCZERBA (Poland)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Luk VAN BIESEN (Belgium)
• James COSTA (United States)
• Matteo Luigi BIANCHI (Italy)
Rapporteur
• Ausrine ARMONAITE (Lithuania)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
TRANSATLANTIC ECONOMIC
RELATIONS
Chairperson
• Faik OZTRAK (Turkey)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Jean-Luc REITZER (France)
• John SPELLAR (United Kingdom)
• Lois FRANKEL (United States)
Rapporteur
• Jean-Marie BOCKEL (France)
POLITICAL COMMITTEE
Chairperson
• The Rt. Hon. Lord CAMPBELL OF
PITTENWEEM (United Kingdom)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Thomas MARINO (United States)
• Plamen MANUSHEV (Bulgaria)
• Liv Signe NAVARSETE (Norway)
General Rapporteur
• Julio MIRANDA CALHA (Portugal)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON NATO
PARTNERSHIPS
Chairperson
• Miro KOVAC (Croatia)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Ahmet Berat CONKAR (Turkey)
• Rasa JUKNEVICIENE (Lithuania)
• Adam BIELAN (Poland)
Rapporteur
• Raynell ANDREYCHUK (Canada)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS
Chairperson
• Prof. h. c. Dr Karl A. LAMERS
(Germany)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Michael GAPES (United Kingdom)
• Vergil CHITAC (Romania)
• Ahmet Berat CONKAR (Turkey)
Rapporteur
• Gerald E. CONNOLLY
(United States)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE
Chairperson
• Maria MARTENS (Netherlands)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Njall Trausti FRIDBERTSSON
(Iceland)
• Jean-Christophe LAGARDE
(France)
• Kevan JONES (United Kingdom)
General Rapporteur
• Susan DAVIS (United States)
Special Rapporteur
• Leona ALLESLEV (Canada)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
AND SECURITY
Chairperson
• Hannes HANSO (Estonia)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Marta DEMETER (Hungary)
• Dr Karl-Heinz BRUNNER
(Germany)
• Bruno VITORINO (Portugal)
Rapporteur
• Matej TONIN (Slovenia)
MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE
EAST SPECIAL GROUP
Chairperson
• Philippe FOLLIOT (France)
Vice-Chairpersons
• Luis RODRIGUEZ-COMENDADOR
(Spain)
• Bob STEWART (United Kingdom)
• Gilbert ROGER (France)
Rapporteur
• Ahmet Berat CONKAR (Turkey)
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A YEAR IN
PICTURES
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
47
PRESIDENCY OF MADELEINE MOON (UNITED KINGDOM) (SINCE NOVEMBER 2018)
48
PRESIDENCY OF RASA JUKNEVICIENE (LITHUANIA) (SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2018)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
49
PRESIDENCY OF PAOLO ALLI (ITALY) (JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2018)
50
COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIL DIMENSION OF SECURITY (CDS)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
51
DEFENCE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE (DSC)
52
ECONOMICS AND SECURITY COMMITTEE (ESC)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
53
POLITICAL COMMITTEE (PC)
54
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE (STC)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
55
MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL GROUP (GSM)
56
GEORGIA-NATO INTERPARLIAMENTARY COUNCIL (GNIC)
2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
57
UKRAINE-NATO INTERPARLIAMENTARY COUNCIL (UNIC)
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2018 ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
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www.nato-pa.int