Published: December 27, 2005
U.S. Trans-Atlantic Agenda for 2006 Outlined by Department of State
By Jeffrey Thomas, Washington File
"Our goal in 2006 is to broaden NATO's mandate and extend its global reach."
A senior State Department official says the U.S. agenda for the trans-Atlantic relationship in 2006 is to broaden NATO's mandate and extend its global reach; to advance democracy in Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia; and to cooperate with Europe in every region of the world through political, economic and security partnerships.
R. Nicholas Burns, under secretary of state for political affairs, outlined U.S. goals for a European Institute audience December 15 in Washington. The State Department released his remarks December 27.
Burns characterized 2005 as the year Europe and the United States stopped the trans-Atlantic war of words, rediscovered each other and got back to work on the world's problems, having recognized they are "wed together in a long-term marriage with no possibility of separation or divorce."
He cited a long list of U.S.-European achievements in 2005, ranging from Lebanon and Syria, where the United States and France led the way to "unprecedented and constructive U.N. action," to Belarus, where the alliance is "delivering a united message for freedom against Europe's last dictator."
In 2005, the entire trans-Atlantic agenda shifted "from an inward focus on Europe to an outward focus, and U.S.-European relations are increasingly a function of events in the Middle East, Asia and Africa," Burns said.
This profound shift, Burns said, will drive the United States and Europe more closely together, not further apart.
"Europe will be our most important partner as we confront the central security challenge of the coming generation - the global threats flowing over, under and through our national borders: terrorism; the proliferation of chemical, biological and nuclear technologies; international crime and narcotics; HIV/AIDS; and, climate change," Burns said. "Our interests are nearly identical on all these issues," he added.
Spreading Freedom in Europe, Central Asia
Turning to the agenda for 2006, Burns said the United States wants to continue to work through NATO as the core trans-Atlantic link but to broaden and extend NATO's mandate to Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
In working with the European Union, "the next great mission for us together is spreading the freedom we enjoy in Europe and America," Burns said.
"We also need to complete our work in Europe by attending to the Balkans, Ukraine and Russia," he said. "We need to continue fostering democracy and opposing repression in Central Asia and the Caucasus. And, most importantly, the United States and Europe need to intensify our efforts in the broader Middle East, as well as Africa and Asia."
Finally, Burns discussed U.S.-European cooperation around the world, including in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Asia and Africa.
About the Balkans, he said, "U.S. leadership is indispensable and we have revitalized our efforts."
He reiterated the U.S. commitment "to pursuing the Freedom Agenda in Russia and Ukraine."
In Central Asia, he said, "we must engage Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and demand reform from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan."
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan
Regarding Iraq, Burns urged Europe to play a constructive role: "Whatever our past disagreements over removing Saddam Hussein from power, the Europeans must now recognize that democracy's failure in Iraq would be a grave blow to our common security, and to the prospect for reform and stability throughout the Middle East."
He urged Europe to support the new Iraqi government that emerges from the mid-December elections and to engage with the new Iraqi leaders.
On Iran and its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, he said the United States is working closely with Europeans, Russia, India, China and other countries "with the hope of forming one increasingly united and purposeful coalition to deter Iran's efforts."
Regarding Afghanistan, he said the United States is committed to ensuring that that Central Asian country never again is a haven for terrorism. But it will take European troops and commitment to extend the national government's reach into the provinces, he said. The narcotics trade threatens to destroy all of the political, military, and economic progress that has been made in Afghanistan, he said, adding: "We hope European governments will recognize the threat and respond appropriately by significantly funding alternative livelihood programs."
In Asia, the United States and Europe "need to develop a strategic consensus on how to engage a rising India and China."
Regarding Africa, Burns said supporting that continent's development is and will continue to be a new priority area for the United States. In Sudan, the United States is working with the EU and NATO to provide support to the African Union (AU) to help it carry out its mission in Darfur. "When the AU makes a request, we hope that NATO and the EU will continue to respond quickly and favorably," Burns said.
Policy on Detainees
Burns closed his remarks by discussing U.S. policy on detainees.
He noted that President Bush and congressional leaders had agreed that the 2006 defense budget will include a measure outlawing the use of torture, or cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees being held by the U.S. military and civilian federal agencies such as the CIA. (See related article.)
"We will continue to fight terror globally, side-by-side with our European allies and friends around the world. We will win the war on terror also by winning the war of ideas, staying true to our values," Burns said.
"As Secretary Rice said last week at NATO, we are a nation of laws, one that lives up to our international obligations. We respect the sovereignty of our partners and allies as we cooperate with them in fighting terror. Let me reiterate that the United States does not transport detainees from one country to another for the purpose of interrogation by torture. We do not transport anyone to a country where we believe he will be tortured," Burns said.
The text of Burns' remarks as prepared for delivery is available on the State Department Web site.
Source: U.S. Department of State
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