European security & transatlantic relations

Last update: 14 06 2010

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Background

The Maastricht Treaty in early nineties was the first document to mention the cooperation in security issues, envisioning the establishment of Common Foreign and Security Policy. The Balkan wars later showed the inability of European Union to respond adequately, and further intensified the effort of the EU to launch European Battlegroups.  

The 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam incorporated the so-called Petersburg Tasks – military tasks of humanitarian, peacekeeping and peacemaking nature where the member states agreed to deploy their troops and resources.

New millennium marked a time of new security challenges. Although the 9/11 initiated the solidarity with the United States and the EU´s support in the global war against terrorism, the war in Iraq divided the EU member states and deteriorated the EU – US relationship. While Europe has prided itself on the perceived success of its so-called "soft power", United States are known for taking a firmer stance.

With Lisbon Treaty ratified many European leaders intensified talks about the need to create a common army and become more unified in overall security policy. „If we do not find a common foreign policy there is risk that Europe will become irrelevant, we will be bypassed by the G-2 of America and China,“ said Franco Frattini in an interview with the Times.

Czech Republic

Along with Poland and Hungary, Czech Republic became a NATO member in March 1999. Since then, it has participated in various NATO operations such as KFOR in Kosovo, SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ISAF in Afghanistan, or NTM-I in Iraq. Also, since the beginning of EU-lead operations in 2003, Czech Republic participated in several of them, namely EUFOR-Concordia (FYROM), ALTHEA (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Chad/Central African Republic.

At the moment, Czech Republic participates in two NATO operations. More than 450 military personnel and civilians are operating in Afghanistan in three separate missions. Their task is to help with creating safe environment essential for reconstructing the country. They are involved in monitoring and evaluation of local situation, protecting the military base, logistics, training local security forces, air traffic control at Kabul airport, and providing transport services (helicopter unit). At the beginning of February 2010, Czech government agreed to increase the country´s participation by topping up 55 additional members of military personnel, but approval from the Parliament is pending.

Czech military units are also making a part of NATO's „Joint Enterprise“ peace-keeping operation in Kosovo (up to 550 people). At the moment, Czech army is not involved in any EU operation.

In its Security strategy (2003) Czech Republic has repeatedly confirmed that it sees NATO as a fundamental security organization that is „indispensable for security and stability in Transatlantic space“. On the other hand it supports complementary approach to development of NATO and EU capacities and emphasizes „strategic partnership“ between NATO and EU.

As a result of a new security situation after 9/11, and in reaction to a perceived threat of proliferating weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and existence of rogue regimes, Czech Republic pledged „to create conditions for joining projects or systems that will be able to guarantee protection Czech Republic's territory“. US anti-missile shield was seen as an opportunity in this regard by the then center-right government of Mirek Topolánek. However, these efforts were matched with a strong public disagreement and brought deep divisions on Czech political scene. Finally, as a result of a redress of anti-missile system under new US administration of Barack Obama, the whole issue was put on ice.

Czech Republic joined the international fight against terrorism and in April 2002 adopted its anti-terrorist action plan that has been updated several times since then (latest version from 2008). As a part of multinational forces and in line with its NATO commitments, Czech Army also participated in anti-terrorist operations in Iraq (although did not take part in combat operations).

As for foreign security priorities, Czech Republic seeks to strengthen transatlantic relations and sees strategic partnership between NATO and EU as a „backbone of security architecture in Euro-Atlantic space“. Among other priorities is searching for multilateral peaceful solutions to international issues and security problems (yet, in case of an armed conflict, Czech Republic pledges to contribute its forces in line with UN Charter principles, and its commitments within NATO and EU structures, and to participate in peace operations), fight against WMD proliferation, deepening relations with EU and NATO's strategic partners, deepening international economic cooperation (including removing barriers to trade) or strengthening effectiveness of international law in international relations.

Hungary

Hungary joined the NATO in 1999 which gained 85% support of the public. The invitation to the security block was a direct consequence of the help Hungary has provided in the operations IFOR/SFOR, which stabilized Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995.

The country also had to prove its readiness right after its accession: NATO started its mission to help the Kosovo-crisis and Hungary supported NATO troops “multi-faceted”, says the background note of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry.

Since then Hungary contributed to the KFOR mission, with nearly 470 soldiers in 2008, and there is also a Hungarian PRT (provincial reconstruction team) with more then 200 soldiers in Afghanistan (since 2003). Currently there are 400 soldiers on the Balkan peninsula to insure the stability of the region. Aside of military tasks, the Hungarian corps is also responsible for implementing civic and military co-operation (CIMIC) projects.

Regarding the NATO's partnerships, Hungary believes that “more effective forms of co-operation are needed in adapting partnership co-operation, giving greater consideration to the specific needs of individual countries and regions,” says the background note of the Foreign Ministry.

“For this reason, Hungary has an interest in a gradual and flexible development of the current partnership frameworks while keeping the transatlantic nature of the Alliance intact. In terms of developing partnership, Hungary offers greater attention in supporting three new PfP members from the Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro), and expects this support to yield stability and security in its neighbourhood. Ukraine, Russia and the European CIS countries are also of primary importance for Hungary.” - the note concludes.

Hungary is criticised mainly for its lag behind in Force Goals and Force Integration which can be traced back to 3 main reasons: over-ambitious commitments before and after accession, continuous budget restrictions, internal political controversies and lack of social consensus. All in all, Hungary is a strong and reliable ally of the NATO according to admiral James G. Stavridis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister stated in 2004 that the war on terror should not be a question for party politics.

The freshly appointed minister of foreign affairs, János Martonyi said collective security is essential for the allies to successfully step up to the challenges of the XXI. century. They agreed that they need to promote better relationship with Russia.

After joining the EU in 2004, Hungary took up another set of security policy obligations. The European Union founded its own military capacity and launched its own operations in which Hungary was obliged to participate. So far the EU only launched a small number of operations, mainly on the Balkan Peninsula. In these Hungary participated actively, sending a company of soldiers to Bosnia Herzegovina in the EUFOR.

Hungary first planned to send 1200 people on missions by 2006 which should have reached 1600 by 2010, but in 2004 due to budgetary reasons Hungary modified its commitment to 1000 people. Out of this, around two third are in NATO missions, the rest is in UN, OSCE, EU led missions or other. The country is still far behind the commitments from 1999.

Poland

Joining NATO was one of the main priorities of Poland since the early 1990s. After five years of successful participation in the Partnership for Peace program Poland became a member of the organization in March 1999. Nowadays, NATO is considered the best Polish guarantee in case of any aggression from abroad. Notwithstanding, Poland is also in favor if creating a European army, which would assure the security of Europe.

Poland takes part in several military operations, both deployed by NATO and by the European Union. The largest Polish contingent is currently situated in Afghanistan, within the framework of NATO's ISAF mission. Its manpower has been constantly increased, from 120 soldiers in 2002 to nearly 2000 in 2009, which places Poland at a 7th place among 42 countries participating to the mission. What is more, Poland plans to send to Afghanistan further 600 soldiers in 2010.

Poland takes also part in two missions deployed in the Balkans: NATO's KFOR and EU's EUFOR Althea, contributing 226 and 188 soldiers respectively. Till 2008 some 2400 Polish soldiers stationed in Iraq and till 2009 another 400 in Chad.

Due to its engagement in the military operations Poland has constructed its image of a responsible member of the international community. It is also considered Poland's contribution to the European military and defense capabilities development. Nevertheless, this investment of troops and money did not translate into change of relations with the USA in the particularly sensitive areas. 

For many years Poland has had very good ties with the USA, expressed in the particularly elevated frequency of the high-level official visits and the offset agreement. In 2003, when it became clear that the USA would use military force to solve the Iraq problem, Poland was one of the eight European countries to support this action. Furthermore, Poland joined the global fight against the terrorism and maintained its troops in Iraq much longer than the other countries did (till October 2008), despite the great social discontent. In return, Poland expected abolition of the visa duty for its citizens. Poland insisted to be included, as every other European Union country except for Greece, in the US Visa Waiver Program. US continuous refusal is seen as injustice and causes the feeling of disappointment on the Polish side.  

Even greater bitterness was caused by the resignation from a ballistic missile defense system by President Barack Obama in September 2009. The deployment of the system, negotiated with variable fortune from early 2007, was finally agreed in August 2008. It cost the government a lot of effort to convince the society that the system was beneficial for Poland and would contribute to the increase of country's security. The US withdrawal was widely considered a betrayal and current efforts of Obama's administration to propose a new system do not seem to enhance Polish trust.            

Let down by its traditional partner Poland turned towards the project of the European army. In November 2009 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Nicolas Sarkozy undertook the common initiative aiming at strengthening the European Security and Defense Policy pronouncing themselves as leaders in action for safer Europe. 

Polish Security Strategy adopted in 2007 is in line with the European Security Strategy. Armed forces remain the basic tool to assure independence and borders inviolability. Their modernization and the development of cooperation with other partners are the main goals.

Slovakia

The road to NATO lasted for Slovakia longer than that of other V4 countries. While Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic were granted the membership in 1999, Slovakia was excluded due to unfavorable political environment. It took the country five more years to become a full member of NATO. However, the preparation phase for the entry and the willingness of Slovakia to join the NATO structures quickened the pace of the political transformation in Slovakia. 

In year 2008, already 551 members of Slovak armed forces were deployed in seven operations and missions of EU, NATO, OSCE and UN. The highest number of members of Slovak Armed Forces is currently deployed in three NATO missions – ISAF in Afghanistan, KFOR in Kosovo and in Sarajevo – together counting for 57 per cent of all Slovak Armed Forces.

As for EU, Slovak Armed Forces were deployed in ALTHEA mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The country´s armed forces have been also part of UN peace missions – namely those in Golan Heights (UNDOF), Cyprus (UNFICYP) and in a zone between Israel and Syria (UNTSO). There are also four Slovak members of armed force in OSCE mission to Georgia. 

The year 2006 proved to be a really hard one for Slovak Armed Forces. In January, a military plane with 43 soldiers crashed down in Hungary, leaving only one person alive, marking it the biggest loss of military personnel in modern Slovak history.

After the 9/11, Slovakia was among those countries that supported NATO in both Afghanistan and Iraq by sending their contingent in order to stabilize the situation. Under the operation Iraqi Freedom, Slovak engineer unit helped to sweep more than 70 tones of mines. However, in 2007 in a popular move Slovak government announced the pullout from Iraq since „Slovakia shouldn´t take part in activities set up without the UN resolution“ as Slovak prime minister Robert Fico put it though his statement was later questioned.  

Nevertheless, the withdrawal of Slovak forces did not worsen the Slovak – American relations that have been stable since the late nineties. In 2008 United States announced that since then on Slovak citizens are allowed to travel to the US without a visa. 

In October last year, Slovakia hosted the informal meeting of NATO Defense Ministers. The main focus was put on the situation in Afghanistan and it possible solutions. United States also revised plans for a missile defense shield in Europe. During the press conference with the secretary of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Slovak prime minister Fico pinpointed that that as long as he acts in the capacity of prime minister, the United States will not be allowed to deploy the anti-missile system in Slovakia though Slovakia wasn´t among the states in question. 

Early this year Slovakia also announced the decision to accept three detainees from the US detainment facilities in Guantánamo, Cuba – a decision that was warmly welcomed by the United States.