The Republic of on the Road to NATO HOWHOW TOTO REACHREACH THETHE GOALGOAL SETSET The way which should lead Slovenia to NATO mem- March 30, 1994: bership has been marked by important milestones in approach made by the the development of relations between Slovenia and Republic of Slovenia the Alliance. In 1993 the Parliament of the Republic to join Partnership for of Slovenia passed a Resolution on the starting- Peace – quite a “bite” points for a national security plan, which enabled the for the the then Slovenian Foreign next logical step. With a view to becoming a candi- Office, headed by date for NATO membership, Slovenia submitted a Lojze Peterle and, Presentation Document to the as a matter of fact, Alliance in 1994, and became an associate member Premier Drnovšek’s of the North Atlantic Assembly (NAA) that same year. Government as a In 1995 Slovenia began implementing the first phase whole. of the Planning and Review Process (PARP). Photo: NATO Photo:

Decisions made so far ment was that of an ally. On September ment on the road to NATO membership is An agreement on the status and move- 13, 2001 the ap- the Membership Action Plan (MAP), ment of IFOR/SFOR forces was signed in proved a statement wherein its members which was adopted at the Washington 1995. In accordance with this agreement, expressed their solidarity and their pre- Summit in 1999. Shortly afterward, indi- Slovenia permitted these allied forces paredness to fulfill the obligations set vidual countries – among them Slovenia – unimpeded transit across its territory. In forth in Article 5 of the Washington began implementing this plan in the form 1996 Slovenia became a member of the Treaty, should it be confirmed that the ter- of their Annual National Program (ANP). North Atlantic Cooperation Council. That rorist attack on the United States of Amer- This document and the process it initiated same year the accession process shifted ica was launched from a foreign country. closed the circle linking all the activities of to a higher level when the country began This statement of solidarity was not limit- the member states, participants in the its individual dialogue with NATO. 1996 ed merely to NATO members. It is neces- Partnership for Peace and the nine most also saw the beginning of dialogue on full sary to recall the provisions of a second ambitious candidates for NATO member- membership with NATO in Brussels, document, in which NATO offered to con- ship: , , , , based on a decision by Parliament. In April sult with the active signatories thereof if, , Macedonia, Romania, 1997 the Parliament of the Republic of at any time, any of them should become and Slovenia. With the help of the Action Slovenia adopted a declaration on NATO aware of a direct threat to its territorial in- Plan, these previously rather scattered ac- membership. Then, in August 1997, Slo- tegrity, political independence, or security. tivities began to function in a better-orient- venian president Milan Kučan signed an This was contained in the “Framework ed manner. order establishing the Republic of Sloveni- Document of the Partnership for Peace", a’s Mission to NATO and the WEU. which was also an invitation to interested NATO Membership Action Plan – 27 members of the At its summit in Madrid that same year countries to join the Partnership for Peace, Origin of the concept and early Slovenian ’s (1997) the NATO alliance issued a mem- founded in 1994. Therefore, mutual inter- implementation medical unit were also bership invitation to three former East action among partner countries forms an We should recall that the NATO Mem- engaged as part of Bloc countries: the , Hun- important chapter in relations between bership Action Plan originated and was AFOR, international gary and . Further, it emphasized NATO and each individually, for this is al- presented at a historical moment that rep- peace-keeping forces that its doors remained open to other pos- so, by its nature, what membership in the resented a breakthrough in NATO’s orien- headed by NATO on sible new members. Although Slovenia Partnership for Peace is all about. tation and quality of development. On the its mission in Alba, and Romania did not receive a member- A third, somewhat “connecting” docu- symbolic level, the 50th anniversary of the Albania in mid-1999. ship invitation that year, they were men- tioned as the best-prepared future candi- dates. In October 1997 Slovenia sent members of the Slovenian Army to the SFOR operation. In March 1998 the gov- ernment presented its national strategy for NATO membership. A second important event for Slovenia with regard to the country’s aspirations to achieve full membership in the North At- lantic Treaty Organization occurred in 1998, when the “Cooperative Adventure Exchange 98” training exercises took place. These were the first NATO ex- ercises which the Alliance held in one of its partner nations. During the exercises, Slovenia proved its abilities in the area of “host nation support", that is, a country’s ability to receive NATO forces on its terri- tory and support their function. Besides the NATO member states, Slovenia and other partner nations also participated in these exercises. 1998 opened a third important chap- ter in NATO accession, namely, NATO’s in- tervention in the Federal Republic of Yu-

goslavia, during which Slovenia’s deport- Knific B. Photo: 84 establishment of this military-political al- On June 19, liance was still in the air. The past met the 2001, a squad of the outlines of the future with the acceptance Slovenian Army, part of the three new alliance members and the of the international planned efforts for integrating them into battalion made up NATO as soon as possible. At the time of of international the Washington meeting, the eyes of the peace-keeping international public were fixed on events in forces from Austria, the Balkans and NATO’s intervention in the and Slovenia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The efforts concluded its to integrate these new NATO members UNFICYP mission bore fruit in the important recognition within the which constitutes the essential value of the framework of UN. concept and document approved at the Washington Summit – the Action Plan, which was to prepare the most serious candidates for the challenges of full mem- bership as well as possible. The NATO Membership Action Plan is a sort of catalogue, in which NATO indirectly describes the desired profile of a new NA- TO member in five key areas. The Annual National Program (ANP) for implementing this plan is a tool for individual dialogue with NATO, in which the individual country

itself designates, for each of the five areas, Knific B. Photo: the goals, methods and deadlines for im- plementation that will most effectively candidates an action program, thereby change. Deciding on new members re- bring it closer to the expected profile of a supporting their efforts towards (more) mains completely within the realm of poli- new member. The country thus does not thorough preparation for possible mem- tics, and only one of the apparent criteria negotiate regarding the contents, but bership. Here the principle of individuality has become more transparent and mea- rather consults with NATO and, through an applies, which means that NATO holds a surable thanks to the Membership Action individual dialogue with it, approaches the dialogue on this matter with each country Plan. The benefits of its implementation, minimum standards for praxis in planning separately. All decisions on proposed however, are by no means only for NATO. and joint activity with the nineteen NATO measures are solely in the hands of the in- The NATO Membership Action Plan members, in particular, in the areas of polit- dividual candidate countries, where both comprises the five chapters already men- ical and economic issues, defense and mili- their planning and their implementation tioned. Within each, the Action Plan sets tary issues, security issues, and the legal are concerned. The Action Plan put the out the issues and mechanisms, and can- and financial conditions of such activity. At principle of self-differentiation into effect. didates themselves may identify which the same time, NATO sets only the imple- This means that candidates themselves ones would best contribute to the effec- mentation conditions for the dialogue, determine where they require additional tiveness and success of their preparations namely, that the country participates in forms of participation. The program offers for possible membership. Thus NATO can this dialogue by producing an Annual Na- candidates a series of activities, from support the efforts of candidates in those tional Program for realization of the Mem- which they can choose those which, in areas which represent the weakest ele- bership Action Plan, that it designates its their judgment, contribute best to their ments in each individual candidature, goals and ranks them according to their preparation for possible membership. Ac- namely, by consulting with them, accord- importance, that it produces specific time tive participation in the Partnership for ing to the specific features of each, in schemes for preparations in each of the Peace (PfP) and the mechanisms of the choosing the most effective route. This is five areas, that it documents this process Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) not only a means of deepening communi- and submits the documents to NATO, and remain the fundamental mechanisms for cation between NATO and the candidates that it participates in the process of evalu- deepening political and military coopera- in terms of content, but also a mechanism ating its own progress in achieving the in- tion with NATO. The Membership Action for ensuring rational use of the resources dividually chosen goals. The ANP MAP is a Plan is not a stage-by-stage contest which the candidates have invested in the document which is approved by the Gov- among the most ambitious candidates. It membership preparation process. ernment of the Republic of Slovenia, while is an individual process which differs in By taking part in the NATO Member- the progress report is a document elabo- terms of content for each country. Similar- ship Action Plan, each candidate nation rated and approved by NATO. ly, it does not provide a timetable accord- has pledged to elaborate an Annual Na- Slovenia is now preparing its third ANP ing to which individual countries would re- tional Program for its preparations for pos- MAP, this time for the period from 2001 ceive an invitation for membership in NA- sible future membership. In it, the candi- to 2002. Before examining this period, TO. The Action Plan is likewise not a final date must designate the aims and goals of which is crucial for judging the candi- list of criteria for membership in NATO. such preparations and indicate the mea- dates’ suitability, we shall consider the Ac- This means that the five identified areas sures chosen for achieving them, the offi- tion Plan as an instrument. do not necessarily exhaust the range of ar- cial bodies responsible, and the deadlines eas which will be subject to scrutiny when for implementation. The candidates may NATO Membership Action Plan – assessing candidates for membership. modify this program based on lessons- development of the concept and The Action Plan has no notion of still-open learned during an individual phase or up- first phase or already-closed chapters, such as is on achieving a certain goal. With the help Introduction of the NATO Membership found in the accession negotiations for of this document, NATO may track the Action Plan was a practical expression of the ’s process of enlarge- progress of each individual candidate and NATO’s commitment to further enlarge- ment. Thus the weight of individual crite- contribute to each individual national ment. At the same time, it offered NATO ria, for instance, on the military level, can process through feedback, consultation 85 Closing ceremony of tribute to the development of peaceful CAE – NATO members and friendly international relations for the and partner-states benefit of stability and growth; and sup- manoeuvres held port and take part in the Euro-Atlantic in November 1998: Partnership Council and the Partnership Mr Milan Kučan, for Peace. In this manner they must show , their dedication to preserving and estab- addressed the lishing stability and the development of a participants of the market economy, social justice and a international logistic proper relationship to the natural environ- exercise. CAE brought ment. together 5,000-odd Upon accession to NATO, candidates members of armed should be able to contribute forces for col- forces and more than lective defense and preserving peace and 4,000 vehicles. stability, and to share the responsibility, Wesley Clarke, costs and benefits. They should commit Commander-in-Chief themselves to building consensus within of the Allied Forces, the Alliance on all matters, participate in also made an address. the process of consulting and decision- making on political and security issues which are in NATO’s interest, and commit

Photo: Marjan Garbajs Marjan Photo: themselves to maintaining the Alliance’s openness to new members, in accordance and its own final evaluation. Using the Content of the Membership Action with the Washington Treaty and the methodology prescribed by the Action Plan Madrid and Washington Declarations. Plan, NATO can observe individual nation- Let’s take another look. The five areas It is expected of candidates that their al processes, which are full of particulari- included in MAP parallel a strategic lead- Annual National Programs will describe ties, within common areas of activity. The er’s thoughts on how to effectively ensure the development of national policy and candidates, on the other hand, can use the the security of a given country: political practice as directed towards the expecta- resources at their disposal more rationally and economic issues, defense and military tions described above, and present their and channel them better thanks to such issues, financial and personnel resources, views, preparedness and ability to imple- an approach, while at the same time con- and security issues. ment these aims and goals, as well as oth- trolling the process as a whole and the ers which are enumerated in NATO’s mutual influence between the individual Political and economic issues Strategic Concept, the document on the areas. Setting out from the enthusiastic Candidates may consult with NATO re- development of a European security and cooperation of candidates everywhere garding their preparedness and strength- defense identity within NATO, and the that NATO has offered such an opportuni- ening their ability to undertake the obliga- documents on relations between NATO ty, the Action Plan and national programs tions of the Washington Treaty and the and Russia and NATO and the Ukraine. compel planners and implementers to un- provisions of the Study on NATO Enlarge- Candidates are expected to report annual- dertake more carefully though-out plan- ment. At the same time, they must imple- ly, in their Annual National Program, on ning and measurement of the effective ment the principles on which NATO is the state of their economy, and to provide use of the time, personnel and money in- founded, besides which it is also expected macroeconomic indicators and data as vested. that they will handle issues involving a dis- well as information on their national bud- During the first phase, i.e. the period pute with other countries by peaceful get and planned or anticipated economic 1999–2000, it was typical that candi- means, that they are committed to a legal growth. dates understood the methodological val- state and human rights, and that they are ue of the Action Plan in their own fashion. capable of resolving ethnic and other in- Defense and military issues While the NATO Membership Action Plan ternational conflicts peacefully, in accor- Candidates’ ability to contribute militar- and the national programs for its imple- dance with the principles of the Organiza- ily to NATO’s collective defense, as well as mentation do enable comparison among tion for Security and Cooperation in Eu- to implementing other NATO tasks, and candidates, NATO primarily compares the rope (OSCE) and in the spirit of good their preparedness to undertake gradual progress made against the NATO mem- neighborly relations. Candidates must improvement of their military capabilities bership profile, and not candidates among have adequate, well-established and func- are factors which will be taken into ac- one another. Yet the candidates wrote tioning mechanisms for democratic civil- count when assessing their suitability for their first national programs, to para- ian control of their armed forces; refrain membership in NATO. Complete participa- phrase the well-known U.S. Professor dr. from threatening to use or using military tion in the more operationally-conceived Simon, like school homework, using com- force in a manner that does not conform Enhanced Partnership for Peace program parisons among themselves as their start- to the Charter of the ; con- is a key element, since it deepens candi- ing point and, intentionally or not, compet- ing for NATO’s favor as much as possible. To judge by the example of Slovenia, at Planning and Review Process (PARP) least, the consequences were not fore- In this process, which takes place in two-year cycles, a country presents its national seen by anyone, neither how far-reaching defense policy and defense planning, defines its share of peacekeeping and humani- they were nor how obstinate. Moreover, tarian operations, and sets out its policy for limiting the proliferation of weapons of NATO learned something as well. Fortu- mass destruction. Besides this, the written document in which the content of this nately somewhat faster than the candi- process is set forth also describes the country’s defense plans for a five-year period, dates, for it had within its ranks three na- the degree to which the goals of interoperability and, now, partnership goals have tions who could only envy the opportunity been attained, and the progress achieved in implementing partnership goals during for getting better prepared which MAP of- the past year. The planning and review process actually mirrors the process which fered candidates left standing at the door takes place among alliance members. in Madrid. 86 dates’ political and military ties to NATO membership in NATO. For this purpose, a and thus assists them in making prepara- process of reviewing progress in achiev- tions for participation in the full spectrum ing the planned goals, with reference to of alliance tasks. New NATO members military forces and capabilities, has been must be prepared to accept their share of established. These goals are determined the involvement, risks, responsibility, ben- based on bilateral consulting between NA- efits and burden of common security and TO and each candidate separately, and collective defense. Candidates are expect- may apply to any component of the armed ed to adopt the Alliance’s strategy, as set forces, not just those intended for partici- forth in NATO’s Strategic Concept and pation in the Partnership for Peace. This other documents approved by the Al- process is transparent and open to con- liance’s leadership. sulting among candidates themselves as Upon joining the Alliance, candidates well, not just between candidates and NA- must adopt NATO’s security concept, as TO. Candidates may be invited to observe stated in NATO’s Strategic Concept, pro- and take part in certain phases of NATO vide forces and capabilities for collective exercises, as determined by the North At- NATO Photo: defense and other alliance tasks, partici- lantic Council and in accordance with the part in NATO working committees and In early 90-ties pate at an appropriate level in the military prescribed procedures. agencies, likewise in the agreed scope. Slovenia paid close structure, NATO defensive planning and In order to prepare candidates for real- attention to what was NATO bodies, and, furthermore, support Resource-related issues izing goals in the area of resources, NATO happening in the Partnership for Peace, the develop- NATO expects that new members will has offered consulting on the develop- neighboring countries, ment of cooperation with partner nations, ensure financial resources for defense pur- ment of national structures, procedures specifically its former and the achievement of NATO standards poses in an amount sufficient for fulfilling and mechanisms for this purpose. Like- sister republics in the and interoperability. the obligations that derive from member- wise, forms of assistance in training mili- federal state. NATO In this area, some measures have been ship in NATO. Therefore, the candidates’ tary and civilian staff for work in NATO peace-keeping forces devised to help candidates develop their national programs should establish the and with NATO have been placed at the were then deployed in military capabilities, including strengthen- necessary structures for planning and im- candidates’ disposal. ex-Yugoslavia on an ing their degree of interoperability and plementing defense budgets that will be IFOR mission. their ability to make a substantial contribu- adequate to the priority tasks of their de- Security issues Sanpshot from 1996: tion to NATO’s military effectiveness. fense systems, as they themselves shall Upon acceptance into NATO, candi- British brigade in For this purpose, candidates may, in determine, and enable the training of dates should have mechanisms and pro- action near Šipovo. accordance with existing procedures with- army personnel for carrying out staff pro- cedures in place for ensuring the security in the PfP, develop Individual Partner Pro- cedures and work within NATO. These of the most sensitive information, in accor- grams designed to fit their needs, so that should be the core preparations in the dance with NATO’s policies for handling they are better able to focus on matters area of ensuring resources. Immediately such matters. For this purpose, NATO has crucial to their candidature for NATO prior to acceptance into NATO, candidates offered candidates training programs, membership. As part of the annual meet- should allocate sufficient budgetary funds which candidates may adapt to their own ings between NATO and the candidates, for fulfillment of the obligations of NATO specific needs. NATO Security Committee the latter may receive bilateral and multi- membership, have national structures in may meet with representatives of the lateral forms of assistance and consulting. place for handling these budgetary funds, candidates whenever it is necessary or Within the general framework of the Plan- be capable of contributing an agreed beneficial. ning and Review Process (PARP) and in amount to activities financed from the accordance with PARP procedures, specif- common NATO budget, participate in NA- Legal issues ic planning goals are developed in cooper- TO structures such as a permanent repre- In order that candidates may prepare ation with the candidates concerning sentative office at NATO headquarters to fulfill the obligations of NATO member- those areas which are most relevant in and a military representative office within ship, they must become familiar with the preparing them and their armed forces for the NATO command structure, and take legal arrangements and agreements that regulate cooperation among NATO mem- bers. On this basis, candidates should re- view their national legislation and bring it into line with NATO regulations. Candi- dates must be well-acquainted with the le- gal procedures for NATO accession itself. Upon acceptance into NATO, the new members will enter into the , or Washington Treaty, of 1949, as well as a number of international and tech- nical agreements that regulate NATO’s joint activities, the status of different kinds of representative bodies of NATO and the Alliance’s members, and defense and tech- nical matters. This concerns the following key documents, among others: the Agree- ment Between the Parties to the North At- lantic Treaty Regarding the Status of their Forces, i.e. the London Agreement of 1951, the Agreement Between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty Regarding the

Photo: B. Knific B. Photo: Security of Information, the Agreement on In October 1997 Slovenia contributed a unit of the Slovenian Armed Forces to take part in the SFOR Mutual Safeguarding of Secrecy of Inven- operation, while in March 1998 the Slovenian Government presented its NATO affiliation strategy. tions (where these are related to defense 87 and have been patented), and the Agree- implementation of the NATO Membership eign affairs and defense ministries first ment on Communication of Technical In- Action Plan. The third phase actually be- meet with NATO regarding the Annual Na- formation for Defense Purposes. For ac- gan in May of last year, when Slovenia re- tional Program at a session of the Al- cess to information on nuclear technology, ceived its progress report for the period liance’s Senior Political Committee in its new members must enter into a basic co- 2000–2001. reinforced form in the 19+1 format). This operative agreement with regard to infor- The process of generating an Annual year the meeting will occur in October/ mation on nuclear matters and an adminis- National Program for implementation of November. Subsequently, Slovenia will be trative agreement on implementation of the NATO Membership Action Plan in- visited by NATO’s numerical expert group, this basic agreement. For the rest, national volves all the relevant ministries, which, ac- which, at least according to experience legislation should be compatible with the cording to their area of competence, are from the previous year, will not overlook organization and practice of NATO activi- active in implementing goals in one or even the slightest detail in the document. ties to the greatest possible degree. more areas of the Action Plan. The chap- This is the point where two large projects For this purpose, NATO has offered ters of the document reflect the structure come together: the Annual National Pro- workshops on legal issues and the neces- of the Action Plan. The national manager gram and the Survey of Overall Interoper- for the Annual National Program is the ability. Although the Annual National Pro- Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After this min- gram, specifically its chapters on defense istry, the second most actively involved is and military issues, also represents the the Ministry of Defense. Of course, this key document in relation to PARP, the lat- does not mean that dedication to the goals ter is crucial for achieving goals in the of the Annual National Program is any less, area of military affairs, and represents an or less important, among the other min- autonomous whole with its own character istries. The first draft of the document is and dynamics. The product of this process discussed in the Interdepartmental Work- should be actual military forces and the ing Group (IWG) for cooperation with NA- ability to make a substantial contribution TO. The IWG harmonizes the activities and to NATO’s military effectiveness. Begin- plans of all the ministries and government ning in 2001, this overview also includes offices involved, and acts as a motor dri- a review of activities in the Individual Part- ving implementation of the NATO Mem- ner Program. bership Action Plan. The document pro- The meetings with the NATO expert duced within this forum is then approved group have become exceptionally de- by the government. Afterwards, the Re- manding, both in terms of content as well

Photo: Marjan Garbajs Marjan Photo: public of Slovenia’s Permanent Mission to as organization. This year as well we can

Lining up of the sary measures for achieving such compati- Elaboration of the “Cooperative bility. Through these forms of assistance, NATO membership Adventure Exchange candidates may familiarize NATO with action plan ’98” in end-November their existing legal order and the steps 2001–2002 – a good 1999 along the which will be necessary for entry into all opportunity for runway of the agreements, including questions related Slovenia to redefine military airport at to the constitutional and legal framework its priorities and Cerklje ob Krki. for such entry, should this exist. Candi- restructure the dates may also receive consulting on the national defense-and- effect of national legislation on immediate security system. and total inclusion in NATO activities. This, then, is how future new NATO members are expected to look. As is the case in, for example, the European Union, NATO’s expectations represent the image of an ideal member. How consistently the organization which the candidates are try- ing to enter applies this image, however, is another matter. With regard to the fact that each expansion is a unique and prob- ably unrepeatable experiment in policy and measurable facts, the European Union

and NATO are in the same boat. Polenec T. Photo:

The process of individual dialogue NATO submits it to NATO’s International expect the lights at the ministry and the So this is the Membership Action Plan, Staff. This took place this year during the General Staff of the Slovenian Army to go as it was defined in 1999. The process of first days of October/last days of Septem- on burning well into the night. Based on its implementation in the form of the An- ber. At this time, as well as later, Slovenia the outcome of the meeting and the ex- nual National Programs in each separate may consult with individual NATO mem- pert group’s report, the defense section of country and individual dialogue with NA- bers who have assumed the role of spon- the Slovenian delegation in particular will TO has, however, been modified and sup- sor for implementation of the Action Plan, prepare for a meeting with the Political- plemented as time goes on, and both NA- as well as at workshops with NATO repre- Military Steering Committee at NATO TO and the candidates gain experience. sentatives regarding those areas (e.g. de- headquarters. Based on the dialogue at Though we do not wish to burden our- fense spending, legal issues, public rela- this forum, and the answers and explana- selves here with learning from past at- tions) in which the country has deter- tions given in response to the questions tempts and errors, let’s take a brief look at mined, in consultation with NATO, that it asked, NATO will prepare a report for the the process of dialogue with NATO as we requires additional advice or training. members of the North Atlantic Council, expect it to proceed in the third phase of Representatives of, in general, the for- that is, the ambassadors of the member 88 states, whom the Slovenian delegation much attention to data and reports regard- In accordance with will encounter at the ministerial level ing the politico-economic part of the na- the projected sometime before the end of the spring. tional program. Progress in one area did requirements, the During all this time, the member states not compensate for inadequate evalua- restructured may, on the basis of the Annual National tions in others; that is, the evaluation of a Slovenian Army will Program or the Survey of Overall Interop- country’s progress is not the average of include a substantially erability, as well as the explanations sub- evaluations in individual areas. The dispro- larger share of mitted and views exchanged during the portion between political maturity and professionals. two previously-mentioned forums, pose economic capability and preparedness in additional questions. The final act in this the defense, military, personnel and secu- dialogue is a report on success in imple- rity areas pointed a finger at the credibility menting the Membership Action Plan, as of communication on a working level. approved by the North Atlantic Council. Progress and development in other areas remained in the shadow. Experience from the second So why speak of relief? The Member- cycle 2000–2001: emphasis on the ship Action Plan, as we have seen, com- chapters on defence-military and prises expectations and goals. In other resources issues words, what needs to be achieved, what Let’s say that the first phase was a time final effect this process of implementation of learning for Slovenia as a candidate and ought to produce. So drafting the national for NATO as well. We can then say that the program represents our own selection of second phase was not really a cycle. Why? what, in our evaluation, still needs to be First of all, because progress between the done in order to achieve this. And it’s not years. Let’s begin at the beginning. What two cycles was scant, and, second, be- a question of WHAT we need to achieve, are the security threats today? What will cause the openness and realism of dia- but rather HOW. At the end of the cycle it threaten us in the foreseeable future and, logue and self-evaluation pointed in one di- was finally clear that, as a candidate, we perhaps, beyond it? And then, how to act rection – back, back to reflection on how were not competing with other candi- preventively? Where? At the national bor- to achieve what we declared to be our dates, and that no one was evaluating this ders or somewhere further away from strategic goal. Already at the time the doc- competition. The evaluation concerns our them? Using what means? And at what ument originated, and even more so fol- achievements in relation to full NATO cost? Who will do this and how do we train lowing dialogue with NATO, tension could members. Or, in other words, it concerns them, so that they will know how and want be detected between what was declared creating new or supplementing existing to do it? Where is the world going? Is it in- and what was possible, between desires procedures and decision-making process- clined towards communities like ours? Can and the actual conditions for realizing es, which, in the current security environ- we make a change, have an influence, in them. Decisions which were of strategic ment, should produce, via a comprehen- this regard? Can we have an influence and significance for the continuing develop- sive approach, such a system of national even share in the decision-making? Will we ment of the defense system had already security and, in this case, a defense sys- do this in coalitions that arise as the occa- been made, and already committed us to tem whose functioning enables the sion demands, or just in one? The key prob- making decisions and taking measures on achievement of the aforementioned goals. lems which the second cycle brought to the executive level (one such document is The substance of the achievements light, and straight to the attention of the the General Long-Term Development and from the second phase of implementation strategic leaders, were the tasks of the de- Equipment Program of the Slovenian of the NATO Membership Action Plan was, fense system in changed security environ- Armed Forces), but these were based on a therefore, not tangible, material, but rather ment, the size and structure of the armed quite differently conceived process of as- of a conceptual nature. In fact, we took a forces, its level of training, the procure- sessment, decision-making and enacting step backwards, to speed up the process. ment of weapons and equipment, what measures, and on a different and different- As if someone reminded us of our school amount of the military budget would per- ly perceived security reality, namely, one that required the creation of a defense sys- tem on a new basis, from scratch, in a not Individual Partnership Program (IPP) always peaceful security environment. Based on the Presentation Document which each member of the Partnership for What proved most crucial of all things was Peace presents upon joining it, as well as additional proposals by NATO and each part- not money, but rather time. Time to under- ner country, the latter produces an Individual Partnership Program (IPP) for a two-year stand, time for adaptation, time for re-as- period. The IPP contains the partner country’s political goals, as these proceed from sessing the security environment as well the PfP, its military and other capabilities which are available for the PfP, the goals of as our own defense system and, further- cooperation with NATO in individual areas of cooperation, and the specific activities more, the national security system. which the country will undertake in each area of cooperation. Each partner country When the final progress report was re- chooses these activities itself, based on its own needs and priorities. It selects from ceived at the end of the second phase among the activities offered in the Partnership Working Program, a collection of all there was not disappointment, but relief: the activities to which both the partner countries and NATO contribute in all areas of thanks to the thought process through cooperation within the PfP. which dialogue with NATO had put us, The Partnership Working Program for the years 2001 and 2002 offers 23 areas of certain matters that had been unclear cooperation; these give a broader definition to the area of defense, which means that were now obvious facts. Due to the previ- their content is not only military in nature. They include: air defense, control of air ously-mentioned facts regarding the space, leadership and command, communication and information systems, navigation change in the role and specific weight of and identification systems, interoperability, procedures and terminology, crisis man- military criteria, the progress report was agement, democratic control of the armed forces, defense planning, planning, orga- not favorable. The message – or, more nizing and managing national equipment programs, defense policy and strategy, mili- precisely, the question – was finally quite tary geography, research and development in the defense area, language instruction, clearly articulated. The whole country logistics, health care in the armed forces, meteorological support, military infrastruc- would enter NATO, not just its individual ture, standardization, and training. systems. Thus, NATO did not pay too 89 mit the aforementioned tasks and, more- been applied as much as possible. The face in the future, and on the resources over, how to handle this budget. Although program is still ambitious. The final mea- which will be available for these purposes. doubts regarding what percentage of the sure of its success is not its attractiveness Among the tasks which the Slovenian public was inclined towards NATO mem- but, rather, the degree to which it is imple- Armed Forces may anticipate are those bership were also heard in the dialogue, mented. The program is good, better than which arise from its obligations within the NATO brought up the issue of public rela- the previous two; however, if it does not Alliance. tion more as a matter concerning ap- produce results, if it is not carried out, The period through 2004 is planned proach, and not the then-current percent- then all the effort in the previous phase for accelerated transformation of the ages for or against. Was NATO right? This was in vain. In elaborating the program, Slovenian Armed Forces and reduction of too revealed itself to us. We finally under- the experience of the previous two phas- its wartime structure which will, as of the stood the questions raised regarding secu- es, NATO’s latest progress report, and beginning of 2002, number approximate- rity issues, or the approval of the Law on opinions and advice from consultations ly 47,000 personnel. Protecting Classified Information and its with NATO members have all been taken In order to achieve the aims of trans- implementation: by delaying we would dis- into account. forming and further developing the qualify ourselves from integration into NA- Slovenian Armed Forces, the size of TO, since we would lack access to docu- Basic points of emphasis in wartime structure will be reduced so as to ments that countries invited to become the ANP MAP 2001–2002 correspond to material, personnel and fi- Flying over Bosnia members receive immediately. These form nancial resources, to be comparable to the and Herzegovina. the condition for carrying out the acces- Basic documents military structure of NATO members, to in- sion procedure itself. On June 21, 2001 Parliament ap- crease the proportion of peacetime forma- proved a Resolution on National Security tions, and to channel development, equip- Strategy. The new national security strate- ment and additional staff primarily to- gy is the basis for strategy in this area, wards reaction forces. The new doctrine within the scope of the defense strategy of military defense will be sent to the gov- and the documents on development and ernment for approval during the first half doctrines which will be harmonized and of 2002. By the end of 2001, the Sloven- submitted to the government for approval ian Armed Forces will be reduced to by the end of 2001. Defense strategy is in 47,000 members; in the first half of 2002 the phase of harmonization with national there will be 45,000 members, and by security strategy, and will be approved in 2004 the army will comprise no more the Autumn of this year. Both strategic than 30,000 members. Decreasing the documents reflect the assumption that size of the Slovenian Armed Forces Slovenia’s membership in NATO and the wartime structure will be achieved by re- European Union is imminent. ducing the number of brigades, as well as reducing territorial units within augmenta- Defense planning tion structures. Within the main forces, all The approval of a national security battalions without a peacetime nucleus strategy, harmonization of the defense will be abolished in 2002. strategy, and preparation of an outline for The approved plans for equipping and a new structure of forces have, in particu- modernizing the Slovenian Armed Forces lar, contributed to the progress made at have been aligned with goals in the de- the strategic level of planning. The fense and military area. For personnel re- groundwork has been laid for further de- structuring purposes, a project for person- Photo: T. Polenec T. Photo: velopment of the entire system of defense nel development and a procedural The difficulty of dialogue with NATO al- planning. A defense planning concept has methodology for manning the Slovenian so increased because its representatives been produced. Its implementation will Armed Forces with professional and con- and the representatives of its members begin in 2002. tractual personnel will be elaborated by based their questions at the forums on During the first quarter of 2002 the the end of 2001, and a system of awards their own experience at home. They have strategic review of defense will be com- and compensation will be put into effect. already been where we are now. We have pleted, resulting in more accurate linkage The changes in the Defense Act which not yet arrived where they are today. Thus and coordination between national securi- Parliament will approve by the end of they know from their own experience ty strategy, defense strategy, the structure 2002 will enable problems in the areas of where, at which points, it is possible to of the Slovenian Armed Forces, and the education, the promotion of military per- measure whether a candidate knows how defense budget. The Slovenian Armed sonnel, and military rank to be resolved. to realize the defined goal or not. Forces General Long-Term Development Following the planned improvements, the and Equipment Program will be modified education and training system will answer ANP MAP 2001–2002 and submitted to Parliament for approval to the needs of the new structure of forces The Annual National Program for im- by the end of February 2002. In 2002 and reflect the increased share of profes- plementation of the NATO Membership long-term, medium-term and short-term sional soldiers within it, as well as the na- Action Plan 2001–2002 thus differs from plans and a leadership corporate plan will ture of the tasks which the Slovenian the two previous ones. Fortunately, the be prepared and interconnected for use Armed Forces will face in the future. lessons from the second phase tallied from 2003 onwards. The planned structure of forces com- with the achieved level of development of prises professional units (A-echelon), units the defense system, which offers an op- Re-structuring the Slovenian Army with a peacetime nucleus and reserve for- portunity for necessary changes in the de- Re-structuring the Slovenian Armed mations (B-echelon) and reserve formation fense and security system, or at least well- Forces is the primary goal of defense re- units (R-echelon). The commands in east- considered decisions about how to carry form. The new structure of forces is de- ern and western Slovenia, which will be them out. signed for carrying out national defense maintained during the first phase of the re- In producing the present Annual Na- and for reliable partnership within NATO. structuring, are to be combined to form tional Program, the principles of realism, It is based on the missions and tasks one operative command in 2003–2004. clear priorities and achievable plans have which the Slovenian Armed Forces will In accordance with the priority tasks and 90 plans, reaction forces will comprise up to In accordance with the requirements 1,850 members, including gradual com- of the proposed new structure of the pletion of numbers through new hiring as Slovenian Armed Forces, Slovenia intends well as the use of contractual soldiers, to substantially enlarge the role of profes- which will be a supplementary form of sional soldiers. Growth is planned from manning the Slovenian Armed Forces, tak- 4,134 at the end of 2000 to around ing effect as of 2002. By the end of that 5,300 in 2004, with a final figure of 7,100 year, a 10th motorized battalion will have in the year 2010. On the other hand, the been formed, equipped and trained as total number of civilian personnel in the part of the reaction forces. Ministry of Defense and the Slovenian Armed Forces will gradually decrease Peacekeeping operations from the current 2,300 to 1,900. Slovenia has decided to increase its ac- The main goal of personnel manage- tive contribution to ensuring regional se- ment in the years 2001 and 2002 will be curity, namely, by sending additional the development of an effective personnel Slovenian Armed Forces platoon to SFOR policy. Changes will begin to be put into in . This means effect following the approval of modifica- that 142 personnel of the Slovenian tions and amendments to the Defense Act Armed Forces and police will be involved in 2002. in peacekeeping operations in 2002, 112 ANP MAP 2001–2002 is, like the pre- of them Slovenian Armed Forces person- vious two plans, an open, living document nel and 30 police officers; 93% of overall throughout the entire cycle, which Slove- participation in peacekeeping and human- nia may supplement and modify should it itarian operations will be directed towards Kuhar M. Photo: judge that it has made substantial activities in the Balkans. Primary gool of Slovenia’s defense reform: progress in any of the five areas or ap- re-structuring of the Slovenian Army proved an important decision. Regional interconnection As part of its involvement in the area of the resources which are at its disposal. A Conclusion defense in southeastern Europe (SEDM), moderate growth in defense expenditures The conclusion? There is none. It’s not Slovenia is intensively cooperating in the is only one of the points of entry in the the end. The process which we have area of civilian-military crisis management. process of defense planning for the future launched by implementing the Action It has taken a leading role in the area of tasks of the Slovenian defense system. Plan, the dialogue which we are holding environmental protection within the Financial resources for achieving the with NATO, the search for the right ques- armed forces. priority goals of ANP MAP 2001–2002 tions and useful answers, arguments, the As part of its participation in the Cen- have been determined by the government culture of decision-making, all of this will tral European Nations’ Cooperation in for the next two years and the projection of not end with entry into NATO. The Peace Support (CENCOOP), Slovenia will defense expenditures through the year process of implementing the Membership chair its Political-Military Steering Commit- 2007 and submitted to the parliament for Action Plan is actually a mild reflection of tee in 2002. discussion and adoption. The available re- the process that is continually unfolding The project for the formation and joint sources do not allow the desired degree of within NATO itself. That one is even more functioning of a multi-national land force growth in expenditures. Therefore, it will be demanding. Only the steps taken along of units from , Hungary, and Slovenia necessary to make up the difference by us- the way have a different name. Partner- will be a focal point of Slovenia’s regional ing a solution similar to the basic develop- ship Goals become “force goals", while cooperation during this period. Military co- ment programs, covering the period of the recommendations and progress reports operation within this trilateral brigade has next 4 or 5 years. There is already agree- give way to ministerial guidelines, con- already begun in practice through military ment to this within the government, based cepts and the like. Recently, a colleague exercises, which will further intensify dur- on the idea that Slovenia will achieve mod- from one of the NATO member states told ing 2002. Since September of this year, erate growth in defense expenditures of us: “Don’t worry too much. It’ll happen. two officers and one noncommissioned between 1.5% and 1.6% of its GDP. The But you’ll find out once you get into NA- officer of the Slovenian Armed Forces ministry intends to acquire some funds TO. Being in the Alliance is one big strug- have been employed at the multi-national from the savings it anticipates due to orga- gle – of arguments.” He was thinking of force’s command center in Udine. nizational measures in the administrative that sometimes difficult to understand and section of the Ministry of Defense. at times awkward, slow or, in certain cas- Implementation of Partnership Goals es, unpopular formula, which nonetheless Up till now, we have lacked a timetable Personnel resources works. Consensus. ■ for realizing Partnership Goals (PGs). There- The annual program concerning per- Zorica Bukinac Cimperšek, fore, a plan for the implementation of PGs sonnel resources remains a problem for Primož Šavc will be produced, in which all the partici- which no practicable solutions have been pants in this process, their tasks, and an as- developed, yet. In implementing tasks in sessment of the necessary financial and the area of personnel management, only personnel resources will be set forth. the identification of problems and paths to Zorica Bukinac Cimperšek is a pursue in solving them has been achieved. graduate of the Faculty of Social Sci- Financial resources This part of the plan is not ready for action ences, Chair of Defense, in . The portion of the national budget to a sufficient degree. The development of Currently she is Advisor to the Sloven- which the state has appointed for defense a system of personnel management is also ian Government. is, in fact, interpreted by NATO as a nu- conditioned on the approval of legislation. Primož Šavc graduated from the merical expression of a country’s political This refers to the reform of public adminis- Faculty of Social Sciences, Chair of and practical preparedness to take on the tration and amendment of the Defense Defense, and is now State Under-Sec- tasks and duties of possible NATO mem- Act. Despite this, Slovenia’s preparedness retary at the Ministry of Defense of bership. However, in this regard it is even in this area can still improve before its last the R. of Slovenia. more important how the country manages meeting with the North Atlantic Council. 91