NATO Romania

To achieve her rightful interests, as a democratic, stabile and prosperous country, within the Euro-Atlantic community and European Union, Romania chose to: promotes, protects, and defends democracy; observes the fundamental human rights and liberties; takes actions that comply with inter¬national law, in order to speed up its economic and social modernization and development.

Within a volatile international security environment, as a responsible member of a dynamic and conflicting world, Romania builds her national security based on three pillars: membership of the North-Atlantic Alliance, European Union inte¬gration and strategic partnerships with United States.

“Nine-eleven” is already a fact of history; that day, the new millennium came on stage abruptly and violently, with a worldwide political earthquake - the terrorist attacks that targeted major symbols of the democratic world - killing instantaneously thousands of innocent people. Followed quickly by other murderous actions perpetrated in various areas of the world, the event trigged off strategic changes of the security environment, and brought about consequences that influenced the international community deeply and over the long term.

Confronted by such kind of complexity of the international and domestic security environment, coming also from a multifaceted globalizing process, all nations have to review their strategies. A right understanding of the strategic trends and of the way each country has a chance to become an active engine of this process seems to become a prerequisite both for survival and progress. In such dramatic circumstances, the security of each individual country and of the international community as a whole, proved to be dependent on the ability to anticipate and to undertake proactive actions, rather than on reacting to events or adjusting to them.

That is because, at the beginning of this millennium, the international community brought into a new phase of its development. It’s a phase bringing together the co-existence and - at the same time - the clash of some major positive trends with others generating high risks, threatening international security as a whole and the security of each individual state. This process is one of the high concerns, even the efforts towards a new global security architecture are growing up as result of the international community’s endeavors.

On the global level, the world is increasingly a conflicting one. The driving forces of the conflicts operate within two areas:

• The access to resources, to the mechanisms of distributing them and to the global market, on one hand, and

• The identity differences of ethnic, religious, cultural or ideological natures, on the other hand.

In these circumstances, the likelihood of a wide-ranging military conflict is relatively slight, but the regional and domestic conflicts seem to become more frequent, while their direct or cumu¬lative effects can be even harder to predict or to keep them under control.

The changes in the area of international security environment are non-conventional in nature and they come fast. Some of them could be seen as regular, linear and predictable, either stemming from the expected development of the security environment or representing the result of ongoing strategies and programs. Others are surprisingly, seismic or discontinuously of strategic magnitude, coming with a significant degree of uncertainty with regard to their nature or duration. All of them are increasingly influencing the dynamics of the international relations focused to those projects intending to support the international community’s efforts focus on building a new international balance - one able to ensure the expansion and strengthening of freedom and democracy.

According to the Romanian National Security Strategy, the international security environment is mainly characterized by the following major trends:

• The acceleration of the globalization and regional integration processes, concomitantly with the persistence of developments generating fragmentation of some state;

• Reasonable convergence of the efforts towards a new stable and predictable security architecture, accompanied by heightened anarchic ten¬dencies in some regions;

• Renewed efforts by states to preserve their prevalence in the international relations’ dynamics paralleled by multiple forms and increasing likelihood of the non-state actors interference.

The main confrontation is taking place between fundamentally different values, between democracy and totalitarianism. It is triggered by the violent aggression of international religious-extremist driven terrorism, structured in transnational networks, against the democratic states and against other political forces committed to democracy.

International security tends more and more to reveal its indivisible character. As result, the international community is ever more aware of the responsibilities incumbent upon it. There are entire regions affected by instability, conflict, poverty and frustration that trigger or favor the proliferation of the new threats. Some of these can have a major impact on Romania’s security. At the regional level, particular in a yet unstable south-eastern Europe, there are still long-lasting tensions. They are caused by historical disputes either of ethnic, religious, territorial or separatist nature, or those challenging the existing borders, as well as by cross-border crime.

At the same time, a range of new, asymmetric threats of military or non-military nature, coming usually from the international environment, tends to become more dangerously and more likely; they may have serious impact on the Romania security. The danger posed by such negative developments may be substantially increased if they combine, especially on the lines between global and regional threats and between foreign and domestic ones. As the global processes and technological development accelerate, when distances become less and less important, the emergence of such negative phenomena must be identified in right time - irrespective of the place where they happen. At the same time, their assessment needs to take into consideration the indivisible nature of global security. In this context, countering them firmly and effectively - even in remote locations, far from the national borders - becomes a major responsibility of a responsible government.

The main risks threatening Romania’s national security, its values and legitimate interests, as a member state of the EU and North-Atlantic Alliance are considered to be: international terrorism; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; regional conflicts; cross-border organized crime; bad governance.

TERRORISM AND REGIONAL CONFLICTS

Terrorism - as a general phenomenon and international terrorism, structured in cross-border networks, in particular - poses the most serious threat to human life and freedom, to democracy, civilization, way of life and other fundamental basic values that make the foundations of the Euro-Atlantic community. The open nature of modern democratic societies, as well as the complex and conflicting way in which various aspects of globalization manifest themselves, make each and every state, as well as international community as a whole, vulnerable to international terrorism.

Nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological weapons proliferation represents another very serious threat in terms of their destructive capacity. The guarantees of a responsible behavior by the authorities that come into their possession, particularly in case of the regimes driven by extremist political or religious ideologies, are decreasing. There is an increasing risk of collapse or turning into anarchies of some states possessing nuclear weapons, a decreasing authority exerted by some governments over the military structures, and a proliferation of the regions that evade the state control.

With regard to regional conflicts, despite the positive developments taking place after the communist system collapse, which made Europe a safer and more prosperous place, the Romania’s strategic area is still one of the most favorable ground for local conflicts, impacting heavily on regional and continental peace and security. The violent dissolution of some multinational states in the area had as result a lot of inter-ethnic and/or religious conflicts. Some of them came already into an end or were contained, due to the impressive efforts made by international com¬munity. The others are still actively, and pose a serious threat to regional security. By their number, these conflicts - alongside other tensions, disputes, separatist trends, territorial differences, and crises in the proximity of Romania - generate uncertainty, waste re¬sources, and perpetuate poverty. They also feed other forms of violence and criminality and favor terrorism.

Cross-border organized crime is a developing global threat that can influence state policies and the activity of the democratic institutions. It is both an expression of the proliferation of negative phenomena that are growing up as a by-product of globalization, and a direct consequence of the mismanagement of the profound political, economic, and social changes that occurred in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe during the dissolution of the communist regimes.

An important role in providing stability and security of the new democracies in this region is played by the ability of these states and societies to promote an effective management of the public affairs and to guarantee the responsible and effective exercise of power, in full compliance with the principles of democracy and human rights. The public expression of these exigencies is good governance, a field in which important achievements has been made in this region - since the fall of the communist regimes.

However, the new democracies in this region are still being faced with a host of negative phenomena that impact on the quality of governance. In this context, bad governance undermines the citizens’ confidence in public insti¬tutions and can pose a major threat to the security of the states. (…)

Our country simultaneously pays close attention and earmark adequate resources for the effective protection of its borders, starting from the idea that it is, on the one hand, a major responsibility of national security and, on the other hand, the fulfillment of an important obligation towards the NATO and the EU. As a bordering state of the European Union and a NATO member, Romania is highly interested in neighboring stable, democratic and prosperous states, because only these countries can preserve peace and good relations among them, build pluralist regional communities and have a predictable behavior in the security field. Building a climate of security and prosperity in the Black Sea area is a distinct direction of action of this strategy.

STRATEGIC CONNECTOR: ROMANIA AT THE BLACK SEA

Black Sea region is an area of extremely dynamic geopolitical processes. As a dynamic vector of democratic security, economic stability and prosperity, Romania has a fundamental strategic interest in having the wider Black Sea area stable, democratic and prosperous, tightly connected to the European and Euro-Atlantic structures. Sitting at the crossroads of three areas of paramount importance - Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia - the Black Sea region is a main transit area for energy resources and, at the same time, an important place of asymmetric risks and hotbed of conflict, impacting greatly on the Euro-Atlantic security.

Far from being a mere buffer zone or a peripheral area, the Black Sea region is a connector of strategic importance, sitting in the middle of a corridor that links the Euro-Atlantic community (as a security provider and energy consumer) with the Middle East area - the Caspian region - Central Asia (as an energy provider and security consumer). From the energy security point of view, the Black Sea region is the main transit area and, to a great extent, a source of energy that is consumed in Europe, while the forecasts speak of a substantial increase in its importance in the following decades.

From the security challenges standpoint, the region accurately mirrors the new risks and threats and is a potentially dangerous in which to test them. Among those worth mentioning are: international terrorism; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and delivery means; local conflicts; illegal trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives; drug-trafficking; illegal migration and trafficking in human beings; ineffective government affected by endemic corruption and organized crime, characterized by a democratic deficit and the inability to properly exercise the prerogatives conferred to the sovereign countries.

The Black Sea region is Europe’s richest and, probably, one of the densest parts in the world, in terms of separatist conflicts, tense situations and disputes. The separatist conflicts in eastern region of Republic of Moldova (the Dniester region), in the eastern and northern regions of Georgia (Abkhazia and South Ossetia), in the west of Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh), in the south of the Russian Federation (Chechnya and other republics or autonomous regions in Northern Caucasus), other smaller and less intense separatist movements, as well as tensions related to disputes over territory or borders, pose serious threats to the security of the region and run the danger that violent confrontations reignite.

Cross-border crime is a highly visible negative hallmark of the region. Criminal activities of this nature, conducted on land and by sea, are connected with international terrorist groups and favored by separatist regimes and the illegal presence of foreign troops on the territory of the new democracies. Cross-border crime might seriously impact on the governance of some states in the region, bring about instability and anarchy, favor violence and create the danger of interruption to vital energy flows.

Countering these risks and threats is an essential responsibility of the states neighboring the Black Sea. These countries have to be, first and foremost, aware of the existence of these perils and are obliged to develop internal, foreign and security policies able to neutralize the negative phenomena inside their own borders and to refrain from supporting, in any way, separatist movements, extremist or terrorist organizations, and criminal activities. A common security threats assessment could be a realist assumption for any progress in the area. The countries bordering the Black Sea must actively and effectively cooperate, promote confidence-building measures in the region and fulfill, in good faith, their obligations to reduce their conventional weapons and withdraw the troops that are illegally stationed on the territory of other states.

NATO AND EU

At the same time, starting from the indivisibility of security in the Euro-Atlantic area, in agreement with the requirements of globalization, and from the need of an equal treatment for all the entities having interests in the area - NATO and the European Union included - Romania considers that the Black Sea region is a geo-political area open to the international democratic community, in which the allied, partner and friendly states can be fully involved. In this respect, Romania has actively advocated the need of a Euro-Atlantic strategy for the Black Sea region and is working hard for building one. This has to take into account the experience of a concerted NATO-EU approach in the process of stabilizing south-eastern Europe and the need of a balance which favors the democratic rights of the states, prevents the worsening of risks and threats and effectively contributes to solving conflicts and tensions. Expanding the European Union’s responsibilities in stabilizing and rebuilding the region, strengthening the presence and contribution of the North-Atlantic Alliance and enhancing the activity of the PfP Program in promoting democracy, peace and security could be considered to be the main tasks of this strategy. At the same time, the presence of some American operational capabilities in the area is, for sure, an important factor that can contribute to substantiating such a strategy.

A priority for Romania is to harmonize and render more efficient the institutional processes of cooperation under development, to prevent competition or hegemonic temptations and establish a new framework of dialogue and cooperation in which all the interested democratic states and organizations should take part. For this purpose, Romania cooperates closely with the states neighboring the Black Sea - Bulgaria, Georgia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine -, with the other states located in the close proximity, as well as with other member states of the Euro-Atlantic community.

As regards the issue of solving frozen conflicts, Romania wants to use the new window of opportunity in order to keep it on the political agenda of the main security actors, to promote active political and diplomatic strategies and become more effectively involved in making the mechanisms to peacefully solve these conflicts work. The ineffectiveness of some of the mechanisms used to solve the existing frozen conflicts by far requires that they have to be revisited; all the interested states and organizations should increase their contribution and have to become more actively engaged.

As part of such a strategy, it is necessary that a set of unitary principles, regulations and lines of conduct to be established, in compliance with the interests of the people, of the communities and states in the area, with the security interests of the Euro-Atlantic community and the provisions of the international law; they should be able to respond properly to the peculiarities of each and every conflict. The set of prin¬ciples, regulations and lines of conduct may include obligations such as: not recognize separatist regimes and not encourage them in any way; firmly counter terrorism and other terrorist-related activities; withdraw the foreign troops illegally deployed on the territory of various enclaves; dismantle - under international supervision - all the warehouses of weapons, ammunition and explosives; and dismantle the paramilitary groups founded by the illegal regimes on the territory of the separatist regions.

Romania seeks to engage directly in peacefully resolution of the conflicts and disputes in her strategic proximity, through both national and multilateral actions, aiming at fostering democracy, support the efforts of rapprochement to the European and Euro-Atlantic bodies and of building security and prosperity. Romania’s interest is that the enlargement of the two organizations should not lead to new lines of separation. In this context, the enlargement of NATO and the European Union, opening the frontiers, intensifying the flows of persons, goods, services, and capital, as well as technological development, all created favorable conditions for Romania to connect to the Euro-Atlantic prosperity and security area.

NATO and EU enlargement provides a unique opportunity of having the Euro-Atlantic community at the Black Sea shores which is a situation that brings Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey in the position of acting in a double role - of both EU and NATO border guards, therefore making the issue of maritime security more and more important.

Another element that must be taken into account is the dynamic transformation of the states in the region. Almost all the countries have chosen to pursue a democratic way, sharing the values of the Euro-Atlantic community: democracy, human rights, rule of law, market economy and the necessity of contributing to the global effort against terrorism.

At this moment, all the Black Sea states have institutionalized relations with NATO, being - in one way or another - a part of the Euro-Atlantic community: Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey are NATO member states; Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Republic of Moldova are partners for peace; Ukraine and Russia - involved in special partnerships with the Alliance. Apart of Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, both Georgia and Ukraine have acted - sometimes - as de facto members of the Alliance, by providing political backing, guaranteeing air and land passage rights, and fielding peace-support troops for NATO and U.S.-led operations.

THE CHALLENGES OF THE EAST

Unfortunately, with great opportunities also came great challenges. Although the terrorist phenomenon is the main concern at European and Euro-Atlantic level, and although the issue was already mentioned, we have to insist on the remnants from a by-gone era that still constitutes security concerns: the frozen conflicts. These conflicts represent significant strategic threats not only to the states in the region but also to the Euro-Atlantic community in general. Break-away areas as those in Republic of Moldova or Georgia are breeding grounds for criminal activities which further weaken the internal democratic reform efforts of these states.

Frozen conflicts are not the only threat here. They have to be viewed in an integrated manner, alongside other factors such as immature state structures, authoritarian regimes, corruption and organized crime, presence of foreign illegal troops on the soil of independent states. All these factors make it, if not impossible, at least highly unlikely, for the states in the region to pursue their democratic goals and to join the European and Euro-Atlantic community.

Democracy consolidation of each state from the region brings value added to the region’s security as a whole. This is why political, economic and financial support for the emerging democracies in the region has to be perceived as a constituent part of a broader strategy encompassing the efforts of the littoral states and the Euro-Atlantic community. States like Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have a moral and political responsibility to return the assistance received from the democratic community in the period before NATO integration, helping the efforts made by the newly democracies. On her turn, Romania has the duty to do the same for our eastern neighboring countries as regards the support for consolidating democracy, the rule of law and their democratic reforms.

Efforts at bilateral level are just a part of the strategy. At regional level cooperation is, and will remain, one of the important pillars of the security system in the Black Sea area. However, we must take into account the existing regional initiatives and make the best of them whether they are multilateral such as Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), BLACKSEAFOR, Black Sea Bank, and Black Sea University, trilateral like the periodic talks held between Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, bilateral or national like Black Sea Harmony. Romania is, also, firmly committed to promote the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation - an initiative chiefly aimed at championing demo¬cracy and economic development, energy and environment security, confidence building, conso¬lidating stability, peace and security.

The need for an increased involvement of the NATO, EU and of the strategic partners in this area’s security is not just a political statement, but it is a true need because even if there is a regional cooperation framework, there is a missing link and that is the lack of a comprehensive approach to the rapid change of the security environment. This is why a Euro-Atlantic strategy for the Black Sea region aimed both at making efficient use of the opportunities created and also addressing the security threats is more then necessary; it is a guarantee for the national security of all the region’s countries and for a true contribution at the global security.

Terrorist groups stroked at the heart of the democratic world and, while some of our countries have been targeted by the international terrorism, the others are threatened too, as all of us have contributed one way or another to the global fight against terrorism. From this perspective, there is perhaps at least a lesson to be learned from our enemies: just the way terrorist organizations have created a huge network of cells acting beyond national borders and redefining the term of transnational, the countries in the region - alongside their allies and partners - should try to develop a democratic network of initiatives aimed at countering terrorism, working both at security (operational) level and at the political, social, economic and cultural level.

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Gen (ret) Constantin Degeratu is a Senior Security and Defense Advisor, and a Professor of Security Studies at the “Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University in Bucharest, Romania. He is also a former Chief of General Defense Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces (1997-2000) and a former Professor of Security Studies at the “George C. Marshall” – European Center for Security Studies, (a US-German Partnership), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany (2001-2004). The opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of a governmental agency or of the University.