NATO's Parlamentariske Forsamling 2020-21
NPA Alm.del Bilag 6
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NATO FOREIGN
MINISTERS’ MEETING,
1-2 DECEMBER 2020
Policy Brief
207 SPE 20 E | Original: English | December 2020
This Policy Brief is presented for information only and does not
represent the official view of the Assembly.
 NPA, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 6: Policy Brief: NATO foreign ministers' meeting 1-2 December 2020
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207 SPE 20 E
NATO FOREIGN
MINISTERS’ MEETING,
1-2 DECEMBER 2020:
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Agenda
•
Afghanistan: international troop presence
•
Russia’s continuing challenge
•
Black Sea security and support for Georgia and Ukraine
•
NATO 2030 and continued NATO adaptation
•
The rise of China
Decisions
•
Updated Substantial NATO-Georgia Package
•
Comprehensive report on China
(topics: military development,
growing activity in NATO’s
neighbourhood, and implications for
resilience)
Other discussion themes
•
The situation in the Eastern Mediterranean
Partner participation
•
Session on global shift in the balance of power with the rise of China: Australia, Japan, New
Zealand, and South Korea as well as Finland, Sweden, and EU High Representative/Vice-
President.
•
Session on security in the Black Sea region: Georgia and Ukraine.
I.
•
•
•
•
AFGHANISTAN: INTERNATIONAL TROOP PRESENCE
Ministers discussed
the future of the international troop presence in Afghanistan.
A decision
is expected at the NATO meeting of Defence Minister
in February 2021.
Allies will continue to assess their presence
based on conditions on the ground.
A key provision of the US-Taliban agreement foresees a withdrawal of all international troops by 1 May
2021, the NATO Secretary General expects
a difficult decision
between:
o
staying
–
because the Taliban have not lived up to commitments
–
and risking continued fighting
and prolonged, long-term military presence and
o
leaving and risking Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for international terrorists once again.
Allies agree
next steps must remain coordinated, deliberate, and orderly.
The
United States
confirmed that it
will continue to provide the enablers for the NATO mission.
•
•
BACKGROUND
•
On 2 December,
the Afghan government and the Taliban reached an agreement on rules and
procedure which opens the way for substantive negotiations in the Afghan peace process.
The
NATO Secretary General called it
a “breakthrough”.
•
The Afghan peace process has allowed Allies to gradually adjust their presence in Afghanistan. It
presents an historic but fragile opportunity for peace.
•
International troop levels
have fallen from 100,000+ a few years ago to
roughly 11,000
in the
NATO-led Resolute Support train, assist and advise mission (50+% come from European Allies and
partners).
•
In November, the United States announced further reductions of its own contingent to
2,500 troops by
mid-January.
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207 SPE 20 E
•
II.
•
Allies remain committed to provide
funding to the Afghan National Security Forces through 2024.
RUSSIA’S CONTINUING CHALLENGE
Ministers discussed
Russia’s continuing challenge, incl.
o
increased military deployments, presence, or activities
in NATO’s neighbourhood, incl. in the
High North, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, and Libya
–
often in
violation of the wishes of governments or of international law;
o
nuclear modernisation and deployment of new missiles;
and
o
ongoing violations and actions undermining treaties.
Ministers expressed support
for efforts to maintain the
arms control regime vis-à-vis Russia.
With
the New START treaty set to expire in February 2021, this includes
limitations on nuclear warheads
as well as
a more comprehensive arms control regime.
“We
welcome the dialogue between the
United States and Russia to find a way forward. Because we should not find ourselves in a situation
where there is no agreement regulating the number of nuclear warheads,”
said NATO Secretary
General.
Ministers discussed security in the Black Sea
(see next section).
Ministers discussed
developments in
Belarus.
The NATO Secretary General stressed that “Both
Minsk and Moscow must respect the right of the people of Belarus to determine their own future.
Through an inclusive political dialogue.”
Ministers discussed
developments in
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The NATO Secretary General welcomed
“the
cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The full resolution of this conflict must be found
through political and diplomatic ways.”
•
•
•
•
BACKGROUND
•
NATO continues
a dual-track approach
towards Russia by
adapting its deterrence posture
to
address Russia’s destabilising actions and
pursuing dialogue
with Russia.
III.
•
BLACK SEA SECURITY AND SUPPORT FOR GEORGIA AND UKRAINE
Ministers discussed, together with Georgia and Ukraine:
o
the
security situation in the Black Sea region;
o
support for Georgia and Ukraine;
and
o
Georgia and Ukraine’s reform programmes.
Allies and Georgia approved the updated Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.
Little detail has
been released so far. Germany will lead a new Military Medical Capacity Development initiative.
•
BACKGROUND
•
The Black Sea Region holds
strategic importance for NATO and all NATO Allies.
•
In recent years,
NATO has stepped up its presence
on land, at sea, and in the air as well as its
political and practical support to Georgia and Ukraine
•
Russia
continues to violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia and Ukraine, with its
illegal occupation of Crimea and parts of Georgia. It continues its military build-up in Crimea and
increasingly deploys forces in the Black Sea region.
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207 SPE 20 E
IV.
•
•
•
NATO 2030
AND CONTINUED NATO ADAPTATION
Ministers were briefed
by Thomas de Maizière and Wess Mitchell, the co-chairs of the Group of
Experts appointed by the NATO Secretary General to support his
NATO 2030
reflection process.
Ministers discussed
the
Group’s
report
NATO 2030: United for a New Era
released on 1 December.
For more information,
see separate briefing.
BACKGROUND
•
The NATO Secretary General will continue the
NATO 2030
process.
“The
goal is to keep NATO as a
strong military Alliance. Make it more united politically. And with a more global approach”,
he said.
•
He will further consult with civil society, parliamentarians, young leaders, the private sector, and Allies.
•
He will prepare strategic-level recommendations for NATO Leaders for their meeting in 2021
(dates TBC).
He has already made clear that one recommendation will be
an update of the Strategic
Concept.
V.
•
THE RISE OF CHINA
Ministers assessed
the global shift in the balance of power with the rise of China, including in a joint
session with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea as well as Finland, Sweden, and EU
High Representative/Vice-President.
Ministers agreed
a comprehensive report on China, which assesses
o
military developments;
o
growing activity in NATO’s neighbourhood;
and
o
implications for resilience,
incl. in terms of emerging technologies and critical infrastructure.
China presents
important opportunities for Allies,
incl. on economic and trade relations, arms
control, and climate change.
But China, which does not share NATO values, also presents
challenges to Alliance security,
as it:
o
invests massively in military capabilities;
o
increases its role in areas close to Allied territory
–
from the Arctic to Africa;
o
invests heavily in infrastructure in Allied countries;
o
violates fundamental human rights; and
o
tries to intimidate other countries.
“Over
the past year, we have seen a significant shift in our understanding of China. And an increasing
convergence of views, both within NATO, and with our partners,”
said NATO Secretary General.
“China
is not our adversary,”
he said, but argued it “is
increasingly engaging in a systemic competition with
us.”
NATO must address China’s rise together as Allies and with a community of like-minded
democracies
by
consulting closely and cooperating,
where possible, to defend
shared values,
bolster
resilience
of societies, economies, and institutions, and upholding the
rules-based order.
China’s challenges means
NATO must take
a more global approach,
while remaining a regional
Alliance, and
work with partners
on, e.g.
sharing information and insights; promoting common
approaches,
including in cyberspace; and
strengthening global rules and norms,
for instance on
arms control.
NATO remains
prepared to continue to engage with China.
•
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207 SPE 20 E
VI.
•
•
THE SITUATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Ministers discussed
the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The NATO Secretary General remains committed to further strengthening the
military de-confliction
mechanism
between Greece and Turkey and to build
more comprehensive confidence-building
measures.
He has put forward
additional proposals.
BACKGROUND
•
The recently developed
military de-confliction mechanism
between Greece and Turkey, facilitated
by the NATO Secretary General, has opened communication lines to help to reduce risks of incidents
and accidents, and, if they happen, to prevent them from spiralling out of control.
•
Dialogue facilitated by the NATO Secretary General also led to the
cancellation of specific military
exercises
on national days in Greece and Turkey.
•
The NATO Secretary General noted
that “NATO
is a platform where we can sit down and, in an open
way, address differences, but also try to find positive steps in the right direction.”
He
stressed that
NATO is not part of negotiations on the underlying problem
between the two Allies, but that efforts
at NATO can help pave the way to address the problem, which ultimately requires political will to be
resolved.
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