ZAGREB ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados opened a two-day seminar on democratic control of armed forces in Zagreb on Monday. The event is organised by NATO within the Partnership for Peace programme.
"Democratic control of armed forces is very important because it strengthens the overall democratic stability of a society, requires cooperation between civilian and military structures, brings effective solutions to problems, contributes to the legitimacy of the army, helps in building trust in armed forces and neutralises possible destabilising effects," Rados said opening the seminar, which was organised with the financial help of the Dutch government. This is the first NATO activity in Croatia following the country's admission to Partnership for Peace in May. The seminar was organised within NATO's programme of targeted cooperation in the field of security. Croatia is facing the challen
ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados
opened a two-day seminar on democratic control of armed forces in
Zagreb on Monday. The event is organised by NATO within the
Partnership for Peace programme.
"Democratic control of armed forces is very important because it
strengthens the overall democratic stability of a society,
requires cooperation between civilian and military structures,
brings effective solutions to problems, contributes to the
legitimacy of the army, helps in building trust in armed forces and
neutralises possible destabilising effects," Rados said opening
the seminar, which was organised with the financial help of the
Dutch government.
This is the first NATO activity in Croatia following the country's
admission to Partnership for Peace in May. The seminar was
organised within NATO's programme of targeted cooperation in the
field of security.
Croatia is facing the challenge of establishing effective
democratic control of its armed forces, Rados said, adding a single
model for this did not exist.
"The problems of democratic control can arise from national,
historical and cultural circumstances... both internal and
external factors can play a role in shaping the individual approach
to control," Rados said.
The purpose of the seminar, which will be addressed by NATO experts
and experts from Croatia and the Netherlands, is the exchange of
opinions regarding the problem of democratic control of armed
forces. The seminar will also include lectures, presentations and
discussions.
A co-chairman of the seminar, the Permanent Representative of the
Netherlands to the North Atlantic Council, Nicolaas Biegman, spoke
in his short address about the history of NATO and Partnership for
Peace, emphasising the importance of Croatia's admission to
Partnership for Peace.
Croatia made an important decision by applying for admission and
NATO made an important decision by accepting Croatia, Biegman said,
adding Croatia would be able to gain important experience which
would help it become a NATO member one day.
He added no one could say whether NATO would expand in the future at
all nor which countries could become its members.
Speaking about Croatia's chances to enter NATO, Biegman said
Croatia would be a valuable acquisition since it linked three
important European regions - the Mediterranean, Central Europe and
the Balkans.
Klaus-Peter Klaiber, NATO's Assistant Secretary General for
Political Affairs, said without its partners NATO would not have
been able to do anything in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. NATO
needs its partners, Klaiber said, adding he believed it would be
very important to have Croatia as a partner.
The reform of armed forces has become a priority in Europe because
the threat of war and the need to have large armies no longer exist.
It is necessary to establish smaller, more mobile armed forces,
which one could deploy quickly in an area and which could stay there
for some time, Klaiber said, adding NATO was ready to help Croatia
reorganise its armed forces so that they could achieve
interoperability with other armies.
Today's seminar is attended by representatives of the Croatian
Government, Parliament, President's Office, non-governmental
organisations, military officers, civil experts and journalists,
and representatives from countries which are members of a
consultative forum (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia).
(hina) rml