President of the Euro - Atlantic Center,
Chairman of the Slovak Atlantic Commission
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests
It is my great pleasure to open the international conference “Globsec – The Role of the Transatlantic Partnership in the Global Security Environment”. Let me welcome you on behalf of the Euro-Atlantic Center, Slovak Atlantic Commission and NATO Public Diplomacy Division in Bratislava at this conference.
We meet here today, to discuss the role and mission of the transatlantic partnership in the Global Security Environment, or as one would say – to “Reinvent NATO again”. In the world of the 21st century we learn, that it is not possible to assure our security without more cooperation, which proves that the collective security and the transatlantic partnership are crucial and indispensable. New security environment and threats require new missions, capabilities and new effective means to cope with them. This is a new challenge for the transatlantic partnership, which still remains a partnership based on common values and security interests. This conference aims to shape the discussion about the new missions of transatlantic partnership in this interdependent and global security environment.
I am very happy, that we managed to set up this international conference, where the most prominent persons of the international security community meet to discuss the future of the transatlantic partnership here in Bratislava. I am very honored and pleased to welcome all of you.
Let me express my thanks to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Eduard Kukan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their great support for the conference. I am very grateful to our partners from BAE SYSTEMS, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Ministry of Defense, German Marshall Fund of United States, Institute for Public Affairs and other partners who have provided great help and shown commitment towards the conference. Without their help this conference would not take place.
Should you have any organizational questions, me and my colleagues from the Euro-Atlantic Center are at your disposal during the whole conference.
I wish you many fruitful thoughts and an intellectually stimulating discussion.
Without further ado let me pass the floor to our distinguished guest Troels Frøling – Secretary General of the Atlantic Treaty Association.
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