'Group of Wise Men' now includes Baltic States

TALLINN - On August 3, the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen named the experts nominated by NATO member countries to work with Secretary General on a new strategic concept for further public consultation within member countries. Among the 12 experts appointed by Secretary General is a Latvian candidate jointly nominated by the Baltic States, Aivis Ronis, former Ambassador of Latvia to the U.S.and former Permanent Representative to NATO.

Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins emphasizes that the appointment of Ronis to a group of such importance is an achievement of Latvia's foreign policy and of all three Baltic States. The inclusion of a Latvian representative in the group of experts places particular responsibility on Latviato represent the vision of all Baltic Stateswith regard to further development of the Atlantic Alliance.

This is of a particular importance to Latviaand to the other Baltic States because the Strategic Concept is one of NATO's key strategic documents to be developed after Latvia joined NATO in 2004. The development of the document was determined by new threats to security, changes in strategic environment and a considerable enlargement of the Alliance by accepting new member countries.

On April 4, the NATO Heads of State and Government during their meeting in Strasbourg/ Kehl resolved to draft a new NATO Strategic Concept aimed at defining the long term role of the Alliance which faced the new security conditions of the 21st century. The new concept is to be developed until the next meeting of the Heads of State and Government in Portugal.

The current Strategic Concept was approved in 1999. The development of the new Strategic Concept will be lead by the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who on 1 August this year took over the post from former Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet expressed satisfaction over the acceptance of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania's common candidate into the NATO Group of Wise Men. "The compiling of a new strategic concept for NATO is an important process that involves many issues of significance for the Baltic States. For this reason, the acceptance of the Baltic nations' common candidate into NATO's so-called 'Group of Wise Men' is a significant event that creates a wonderful situation for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to continue close co-operation and NATO-themed consultations," said the Estonian foreign minister.