SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2015 GLOBSEC DAILY2

We are more than doubling the size of the NATO Response Force, to provide reinforcements for the Spearhead should it be needed.

Alexander Vershbow,Deputy Secretary General NATO

A soldier stands in front of a war ship as he participates in a massive amphibious landing operation during NATO sea exercises BALTOPS 2015 in Ustka, Poland. FOTO - TASR/AP

Surprising poll in NATO Warsaw panel

Sorry for Russian propaganda

I am very sorry, that they made such a movie, it is a shame as it was a sha-me what happened in 1968. That August day I

was in Crimea, nobody was smiling and happy about it. Everybody talked or was silent. Now Russian propa-ganda has spread this hor-ror all over the world, said Russian professor of history Andrey Zubov.

The first debate under the GLOBSEC banner in Banská Bystrica could not have started without a qu-estion about the recent Rus-sian propagandistic docu-mentary about the Soviet in-vasion of Czechoslovakia. It was decribed as prevention and a brother´s help against a NATO sponsored fascist coup. Why is this kind of propaganda still possible 25 years after the collapse of the Iron Curtain?

„Communism left big-ger and deeper scars than Nazism. The main problem of Russia today is what you already did in 90s: we have to seperate ourselves from Soviet ideology,” says Zubov. The economy in his opinion should be in second place af-ter people.

There is no doubt that the 21st August 1968 was a clear occupation. “But Rus-sian historians, not even the young ones have realized this. In Russia to be unbia-sed is not standard,” com-mented Stanislav Mičev, Director General of Muse-um of the Slovak National Uprising.

During the debate the panelists proposed broad-casting the documentary in prime time on TV. “It should be done with commentaries from our historians to ana-lyze the Russian interpra-tion of this terrible event,” said Petr Kolář, Senior Advi-sor of Squire Patton Boggs.

He assumes that Rus-sian propaganda aims at our lack of knowledge, trying to spread disinformation. „The most effective way is relativization and Putin ne-eds Trojan horses for this,“ says Kolář. The worst is the relativization of the war in Ukraine, he added.

„There is a part of Russia which is against the occupa-tion of Crimea and Donbas, and who do not like Putin´s policy. This is not Russian politics but Kremlin policy,“ said Professor Zubov who was expelled from Moscow State University because of his criticism of the annexa-tion of Crimea. He does not plan to emmigrate from Russia. „I have to be with my nation, my students.“

Panelists discussed goals for NATO before its summit in Warsaw. Audience did not believe all NATO countries would help each other in case of external aggression

2002 was suspended in April 2014 after the annexation of Crimea.

„We are still able to talk to Russia. The Secretary General met Mr. Lavrov recently,“ said Mr. Vershbow. But added, that NATO doesn´t see that Russia even wants to talk.

„Russia is rejecting the rules. Russia is even pretending that there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine,“ said Vershbow.

Wolfgang Ischinger, German dipomat, former German am-bassador to the United States and current Chairman of the Munich Security Conference said, that we are already talking with Russia, for instance on the level of negotiations with Iran.

„I see no reasons why NATO couldn´t approach Russia,“ said German diplomat. He also said that he would not have canceled the G8 meeting last June as a reaction to Russian occupation of Crimea. „Leaders of the G8 should have gone to Sochi, but should have told Russia there is only one topic: Russian forces in Crimea,“ said Ischinger.

There were two interactive polls during the panel. The au-dience could give its opinion through their smartphones about specific questions. The first question produced very surprising results.

SURPRISING POLLAre NATO allies really wil-

ling to use force to defend one another? Around 24 percent of paritcipants in the audience said yes, if that would be direct aggression, not a cyber attack. 43 percent voted probably - it would take a while to come up with a firm position. Only 4 percent believe that countries would help each other without delay and under any circum-stances.

„Its a bit disconcerning,“ said Mr. Vershbow about the results of the poll which surprised ma-ny in the room.

ERIKA MESÍKOVÁSlovak Atlantic Commission

What will be the goals for NATO be-fore its next summit in

Warsaw? Should we speak with Russia? Those were two of ma-ny topics that were discussed by panelists of the discussion ‚From Wales to Warsaw: Collec-tively Defending the Alliance‘ yesterday at GLOBSEC Confe-rence in Bratislava.

Deputy Secretary-General of NATO Alexander Vershbow, Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of National Defence of Poland Maciej Jankowski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Bogdan Aurescu and Chairman of the Munich Se-curity Conference Wolfgang Ischinger took part in the discussion which was led by Brooks Tigner, EU and NATO correspondent for Jane´s De-fense Weekly.

NEW REALITY FOR NATO„Russia’s behaviour has cre-

ated a new strategic reality for NATO. After 25 years of focu-sing on out-of-area crisis ma-nagement, we now must re-em-phasize our original mission of collective defence,“ said Mr. Vershbow. That is the reason why NATO created Readiness Action Plan and Very High Re-adiness or so called Spearhead Force which is now „opera-tional and able to be deployed within a matter of days“.

„We are more than doubling the size of the NATO Respon-se Force, to provide reinforce-ments for the Spearhead sho-uld it be needed,“ added Mr. Vershbow. „We will soon open a series of command-and-control posts across our Eastern Allies, to facilitate the rapid deploy-ment of NATO reinforcements and coordinate training and exercises.“

Mr. Vershbow said that Spe-arhead Force is just the begin-ning. NATO should also „bet-ter anticipate hybrid threats“.

DISCUSSION WITH RUSSIANS

Poland will host NATO sum-mit in 2016 in Warsaw. Poland is among countries that take the threat of Russia very serio-usly and call for more western soldiers on its soil.

„Poland is one of the nations of these Spearhead forces,“ ad-ded Maciej Jankowski from Po-lish Ministry of Defense. Key priorities of the Warsaw sum-mit include reform of NATO quick response forces, which shouldn´t be just a temporary measure, said Jankowski.

There was also discussion about how to talk with Russia. NATO-Russia council set up in

Vershbow: Russia behaves aggresively

The United States is planning to send heavy weapons like tanks to NATO member states in Eastern Europe. Did they discuss this with NATO?

They briefed NATO but the official decision is still being finalised. The talks are only about equipment, not troops. They are going to preposition in Europe some significant number of tanks and other armored vehicles as a way to support both tra-ining and excercises which we are doing on a very con-tinuous basis now. But also to make it easy to actually reinforce in the event of a crises, because some of the equipement will already be there.

Was there any discus-sion about doing it under the umbrella of NATO?

The normal way it works in NATO is this: The actu-al placement of equipment and troops is done on a bi-lateral basis but those forces and equipment are made available to NATO whenever NATO needs it.

Are there any members in NATO which disagree with this decision?

I have not heard any cri-ticism. This is a response to general concerns that we need to strengthen a capacity to defend every al-ly. Clearly countries in the east are feelling a bit more exposed after what happe-ned in Ukraine and when Russia is conducting much bigger exercises on a conti-nuing basis without any no-tification. Just in December they had between 80- and 100-thousand troops and naval forces excercising.

Russia said that sending heavy weapons to eastern countries is the most ag-gresive US act since the Cold War. What would be your answer?

Everything we are doing is defensive and is a respon-se to what the Russians are doing. If you want to talk about aggression how about annexing part of Ukrainian territory. How about acti-vely promoting aggression and insurrection in Eastern Ukraine. That is aggression.

TOMÁŠ VASILKO

TOMÁŠ VASILKOreporter, Denník N

3SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2015 GLOBSEC DAILY www.dennikn.sk

Watching Russian TVs is like watching news from a different planet.Alexander Vershbow Deputy Secretary-General

of NATO

I must say I am very impressed with how @GLOBSEC is organised. We will have to put in more effort.Wolfgang Ischinger Chairman of Munich Security Conference

We must be uncompromising about the attempts to redraw Europe’s borders by force. We are clear: Crimea and Donbas are part of the territory of Ukraine. David Cameron British Prime Minister

We want to see Greece staying in the Eurozone. But not at all cost and Slovakia is ready for Grexit. Robert Fico Slovak Prime Minister

Russia is a threat not because it‘s powerful but because it‘s not. George Friedman Stratfor

Nations are defined by borders, we have to defend the borders. The fence is just a technical issue. To defend the country is an obligation. I don‘t believe in the European solution. Viktor Orbán Hungarian Prime Minister

Russia losing prospects for development, in comparison to South East Asia, due to competition. Evgeny Nadorshin Advisor to the Minister for Economic Development of the Russian Federation

Without energy security we can not speak about security at all.Tomasz SiemoniakPolish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence

BEST QUOTES

Big challenge, big question: How to defeat ISIS?

We ask experts and politicians what needs to be done to fight jihadism which is as dangerous as never before

Ján KubišSpecial Representative of the UN for Iraq

Only those who are

affected by it can win the war against ISIS, that means the mo-

bilization of the Sunni people and tribes is necessary. They should realize that ISIS does not represent their interests neither in a long term nor short term horizon. Naturally, the second step is to take all measures possible to ensure that this conglomerate of terrorists will not be able to gain any financial support or fighters, and we need to iso-late them as deeply as we can. To use all possible means of pressure including military, political, economical and the like as well as sanctions, which should be used far more stea-dily against the violators, not only directly against ISIS, but also the channels where they gain finances and are able to export materials.

Andrey ZubovRussian Professor of History

Of course we can speak

about army, weapons and struggle in mili-tary terms, but

military terms are never effec-tive, as long as the main prob-lems of religion and the never--ending list of people who join ISIS movement are not solved. It is necessary to understand that they join this movement not because of social, not be-cause of polical, not because of ethnic issues, but because of personal religious problems. We in Europe give answers and produce resistance to this movement in all aspects, ex-cept this one. We need to speak with them in their language,

and the language of religion is very difficult, but it is necessa-ry. I think this is the only way to solve the problem of ISIS.

František ŠebejChairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Slovak Parliament

Among the members of

ISIS there are many people from European Muslim commu-

nities, not only men but also women, and it is a big number. Basically there are people who were radicalised here in Europe, in mosques, on the internet and so on. So when we talk about how to defeat the Islamic state, it is not enough to discuss what to do with it in Syria or Iraq, but it is impor-tant to ask how to deal with at our home, in Europe.

Michael ChertoffFormer U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

We have to do two things. We have to defeat them

on the battlefield and demon-strate to the world that they

are losing. I think we also have to counter their ideology. And that means leaders of Muslim com-

munities need to step up and publically explain that ISIS is not really a Muslim ideology. So there has to be military ef-forts, but there also has to be a direct way to explain to the people that their ideology is misleading.

Anton La GuardiaDeputy Foreign Editor, The Eco-nomist

It will take more commitment to the troops. We have to break that image that ISIS cannot be beaten.

We have to put more resources on them, more trainers, more special forces embedded with Iraqi forces, some air control-lers. Number two is to fix the politics of the region. You need internal balance in Iraq and a peace agreement in Syria, and beyond that to resolve Saudi--Iranian relations and tensions between the Shia and Sunni peoples.

Miroslav LajčákSlovak Foreign Minister

A package of measures,

which has to be social, economic and political. To stop them only

militarily will not solve the problem. The basic question is why do they have such big sup-port that after every lost fighter they can announce a new one. For me it is shocking that people born here in Europe who know prosperity and democracy can so easily abandon everything.

Karel SchwarzenbergFormer Czech Foreign MinisterThe borders set by the English

and Frech after the WWI have disappeared and something completely new is being created.

The map of the Middle East will look very different soon. It is unbelievable that the bor-ders were drawn by someone sitting in London without even looking at the tribal and reli-gious issues. We can not solve this violently.

FOTO - TASR

We were succesful with the Kurdish. The Kurds are doing well. But now, the only other group, that is kind of effective against ISIS, are not our allies. Shia supported by Iran. Do we really want to ally with them to defeat ISIS and replace one problem with another problem?Jonathan ParisGeopolitical Informa-tion Service