Автор: Klaus Klaiber, Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Political Affairs, Ambassador.

As Europe enters the 21 st century, Belarus sits at a crossroads. To the West, a member of NATO. To the south, a former Soviet Republic. To the North, Baltic countries that are aspiring to join NATO as full members. And to the East, of course, lies Russia.

Nothing could illustrate more clearly the complexity of the new Euro-Atlantic security environment. And yet, despite these many different security perspectives and traditions, Europe is growing closer and closer together. Of course, major security challenges still remain to be solved - but the general trends over the past decade have been very positive: towards greater peace, greater security, greater stability.

Considering how volatile the post-Cold War world could have been, this is truly a welcome development. And it is not the result of good luck or happenstance. The increasing stability of the continent is the direct result of the good decisions taken by almost every country in Europe over the past decade.

Three decisions, in particular, have helped shape Euro-Atlantic security for the better. First and foremost: almost every country in Europe has decided to embrace democracy. When the Cold War came to an end, the countries of Central, Southern and Eastern Europe chose a new system of government, whereby 311 people are allowed - indeed, encouraged - to speak freely, to create and join political parties, and to vote for the leadership of their choice.

This, more than anything else, has fostered stability across Europe. Why? Because in general, true democracies do not go to war with one another. Too often, wars are started by leaders who are remote from their populations, and carry out aggression based on personal ambitions or philosophies. The people know that it is they who always pay the price of war.

This was the case in Yugoslavia. And finally, after Slobodan Milosevic started and lost four wars - after he progressively led his country to international isolation and financial ruin - the Yugoslav people democratically chose a new leader: a man who has promised to respond to the will of the people and live in peace with his neighbours. In response, the international community has already begun to welcome Yugoslavia back into the European family of nations, and to provide immediate financial assistance. Nothing could indicate more clearly the value of democracy in promoting peace and prosperity.

Second: almost every country in Europe has chosen to embrace cooperation. Gone are the days when countries thought they could enhance their own security at the expense of their neighbours. In the 21 st century, security is best enhanced through practical security cooperation amongst all the countries of the Euro-Atlantic area.

That principle is what guides NATO's Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Partnership for Peace Programme. Through these, NATO is today the dynamo at the hub of a new set of profound security relationships across the continent. Forty six democratic countries - NATO members, former Warsaw Pact countries, ex-Soviet Republics, and neutrals. Including Switzerland which is not even in the United Nations now train and exercise together, discuss security issues together and even carry out peacekeeping operations together. Fruitful areas of cooperation include civil - emergency planning, regional security, arms control and even scientific cooperation. Of course, Belarus is also a member of both PfP and EAPC - and while our Partnership has already yielded results, there is certainly room for further improvement.

The value of this inclusive framework is very clear. Every country in Europe has a structure through which they can enhance their security interests. No small, rigid regional alliances are necessary. No unilateral solutions are required. Through PIP and EAPC, security across Europe has been structured towards inclusion and cooperation. And the countries which chose a new path are included in Euro-Atlantic institutions. That alone is a massive change from the past, and another major contribution to the stability of the continent.

This principle of cooperation underpins a key NATO Partnership - the relationship with Russia. Simply put, Russia and NATO face common security challenges, from peacekeeping to crisis management to arms control and proliferation. And both NATO and Russia recognise that it is in their common interest to work together to solve them. That is why NATO-Russia

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relations have resumed, now that the violence in Kosovo is over. And that is why our Partnership is destined to deepen in future - because we must face the complexities of the 21 st century security environment together, if we are to build Euro-Atlantic security effectively.

NATO has also built a distinctive relationship with Ukraine, because an independent, stable and democratic Ukraine is of strategic importance for Europe as a whole. NATO-Ukraine cooperation covers a wide range of security-related areas, including the very important challenge of defence reform. Here, Ukraine can draw on the experience of NATO countries to chart its own path into the future. In sum, the distinctive relationship with NATO will help Ukraine to gain its rightful place - as a confident Partner and reliable, cooperative neighbour.

The principle of cooperation also underpins another major element of NATO's agenda: opening to new members. Today, nine democratic countries have decided that they wish to become as integrated with NATO as possible, i.e. by becoming full members. They understand that membership in NATO enhances their stability, and by extension, the stability of their neighbours. And it for this reason that the Alliance will consider issuing further invitations in 2002 - because NATO's opening process has proven to be good for NATO's members, good for NATO's neighbours and good for Euro-Atlantic stability.

Third: Almost every country in Europe is working to promote fundamental human rights. The history of Europe in the 20 th century illustrates grimly how important that is. Too often, fundamental human rights were ignored. Too often, civilians were the victims of the worst acts of violence. And these incidents inevitably led to more violence, often including international conflict.

The abuses committed in the late 1990s by Serb forces in Kosovo make it clear that massive violations of human rights are still not a thing of the past. But what is new is that, this time, almost the entire Euro-Atlantic community stood together to oppose that violence. Together, the international community - including Russia - condemned the human rights violations. Together, the countries of North America and Europe - including Russia - applied pressure on Belgrade to bring these violations to an end, and allow the people of Kosovo to live in peace. And when ex-President Milosevic ignored the will of the international community and rejected a diplomatic solution, almost every country in Europe supported NATO's military operations to force Serb forces to withdraw from Kosovo. Why? Because they understood that Europe would never be truly at peace unless we defend the values on which peace is based: peace, tolerance and mutual respect.

Does this mean that NATO will become "The Policeman of Europe", intervening all over the continent to defend human rights? The answer is clear and simple: no. The Kosovo crisis was unique, in that it posed a direct threat to the wider security of South Eastern Europe as well as a challenge to our values. Indeed, NATO had no choice but to take action to uphold the will of the international community to see peace and justice prevail in Kosovo. But this is not a precedent for the Alliance.

Instead, it is a precedent for the Euro-Atlantic community. Perhaps for the first time. almost all the countries of Europe and North America chose to take action together in defence of principle. And if this precedent holds - if all the countries of Europe choose to embrace democracy, partnership, and basic human rights as their guiding principles - it bodes very well for peace and security in the 21 st century

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