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Statement On The
Defence Capabilities Initiative |
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(Source : NATO ; issued June 8, 2000)
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Issued at the Meeting of the North Atlantic Council
in Defence Ministers Session held in Brussels
on 8 June 2000
1. We reviewed the implementation of the Defence Capabilities Initiative
(DCI). Launched at last year's Summit in Washington, this initiative is
designed to ensure that the Alliance has the capabilities required to meet
the security challenges of the 21st century across the full spectrum of the
Alliance's missions. Recent operations, especially in Kosovo, have
revealed the need for improvements in a number of areas, particularly in
NATO's ability to move forces quickly where they are needed, to support
them as long as necessary and rotate them as required, to provide them with
the means they need to fulfil their missions properly and to ensure that
they are better protected, and to enable them to communicate and operate
smoothly and effectively with one another. DCI sets out specific steps
that the Alliance as a whole and the Allies individually must take to
improve our defence capabilities and to enhance the interoperability of our
forces.
2. We are strongly committed to the success of the DCI. Achieving its
objectives will also strengthen European defence capabilities and the
European pillar of NATO, so that European Allies will be able to make a
stronger and more coherent contribution to NATO. It will also improve
their capability to undertake EU-led operations where the Alliance as a
whole is not engaged. The EU's Headline and Capability Goals and the
objectives arising from DCI will be mutually reinforcing. In addition, the
Initiative will improve the ability of Allied and Partner forces to operate
together in NATO-led crisis response operations. We therefore welcome and
encourage our Partners' improvements of their military capabilities in line
with the DCI.
3. We received a report from the Chairman of the High Level Steering Group
charged with overseeing the implementation of the Initiative. We welcome
the progress the report shows. Early examples include progress in the
fields of strategic transport, air-to-air refuelling, precision guided
munitions, air defence, exchanges of information on multinational
formations and work towards the harmonisation of defence planning
processes. The Initiative has given added impetus and direction to the
efforts of the nations and of the Alliance as a whole towards achieving
those improvements that are most urgently required. We welcome the reports
that nations have provided on how they are approaching DCI. These provide
clear evidence that Allies are taking the Initiative into account in their
national plans. We note with interest the recent US Defence Trade Security
Initiative, we will examine it and look forward to the positive effect it
may have on the enhancement of transatlantic defence industrial co-operation.
4. However, there is still much to be done, and a greater and prolonged
commitment will be essential if substantial capability improvements are to
be ensured. Nations bear the main responsibility for the implementation of
DCI. All Allies must stand ready to provide the resources necessary to
achieve DCI objectives through the most efficient use of available
resources and where necessary the provision of additional resources. The
most efficient use of resources will require, as appropriate, the
reprioritisation and/or reallocation of resources, increased use of
multinational, joint and common funding (including contributions in kind)
and other efficiency measures such as pooling and sharing of resources as
well as co-operative procurement. We believe that multinational
arrangements will provide the most viable solutions to some of the more
expensive current capability shortfalls, while also enhancing
interoperability and facilitating the participation of all Allied
countries. In this context we welcome the continuing adaptation of the
common funded programmes to Alliance security requirements as set out in
the new Strategic Concept and the Defence Capabilities Initiative,
including improvements in resource management.
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