The appointment of Mr George Robertson as secretary-general of NATO yesterday, sends several important signals about the direction of western defence policy in coming years. He has been a successful British defence minister, overseeing a significant defence review which streamlined expenditure and reorganisation in ways that could become a model for other NATO states in Europe after the Kosovo war. As a Briton, his appointment will reassure US leaders anxious that his main task - to boost European defence and security capabilities without upsetting the transatlantic balance - will be carried out sensitively to Washington's interests and needs.
The delay by the Benelux countries in formally nominating him also sends a signal that several smaller NATO states are dissatisfied with decision-making in the alliance, which they say is increasingly dominated by the larger powers. The appointment of the outgoing NATO secretary-general, Mr Javier Solana, as the new EU official in charge of security and foreign policy was found similarly wanting by a number of member-states. His deputy, a leading French diplomat, was appointed at the Cologne summit in June as a result of a Franco-German deal criticised by Danish, Dutch, Belgian and Finnish leaders.
This important point will be heard again during the current Finnish EU presidency, which is to inaugurate a treaty-revising conference on decision-making. There are fears among the smaller states, Ireland included, that a reversion to such directoire methods dominated by the big powers could undermine the distinctive character of EU decision-making which strikes a more equitable balance and reinforces that with free-standing institutions.
Despite the clear differences between NATO and the EU, the convergence of policy between them will be a particular feature of Mr Robertson's term in office. At Cologne, it was decided to boost the EU's security, defence and foreign policy capabilities so as to allow the development of an autonomous European force drawing on NATO resources. This will cost more money and involve substantial streamlining of expenditure, planning and military-industrial resources, if a genuine capability adequate to these tasks is to be created. Mr Robertson has shown he has the skills for these negotiations. It will also be necessary for him to preside over the creation of more equitable transatlantic relations within the alliance if they are to be achieved. Another essential task will be to maintain and develop relations between NATO and Russia.
Ireland is to join the NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace network this autumn, as the Government concludes discussions on which elements of its activities to participate in. The PfP plays an important role in co-ordinating the training and inter-operability of allied, neutral and non-aligned states as European security and military affairs are reconstructed. It will therefore be necessary to pay more attention to such developments as the appointment of Mr Robertson over coming years.