On April 2nd, the NATO-summit at Bucharest will start. One of the main issues on the agenda will be the crucial relationship between NATO and Russia. In a joint statement, prestigious scientist and members of congress – among them are Dr Rolf Mützenich, Winfried Nachtwei, and Uta Zapf – appeal to the German government to take steps against the escalation of this conflict.
After the suspension of the treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) in December 2007, the future of a co-operative security policy in Europe is uncertain. The tension between the Western alliance and Russia have also been growing because of a number of other reasons, for example the successive enlargement of NATO, the deployment of US missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic or the recognition of Kosovo. These are only a few among many alterations of the status quo provoking Russia.
The signatories of the statement call on the German government to take stands at Bucharest that provide time for an intensive debate between Western countries and Russia. Only within such a setting a new, better, and more stable security co-operation in Europe can be established.
The statement has been sent to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung, asking them to consider the recommendations at the Bucharest summit. The paper has been written under the aegis of Dr Hans-Joachim Schmidt, CFE-expert and research fellow at PRIF, and Prof. Hartwig Spitzer and Dr Wolfgang Zellner of Hamburg University.
Click here for Statement (in German; 2 pages as pdf-download).
Click here for English translation of Statement, 2 pages as pdf-download).
For press interviews please feel free to contact our research fellow
Dr Hans-Joachim Schmidt
Phone: ++ 49 (0) 69 / 95 91 04 - 33
Or via e-mail: schmidth@hsfk.de
on monday, March 31st, before 3.30 p.m. and tuesday, April 1st, after 9 a.m.