Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean
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Chronologies Other Cooperation Initiatives in the Mediterranean s e c i d n e 1. NATO Mediterranean Dialogue share views on security matters and dis - self-differentiation while preserving uni - p p and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative cuss the current status of the MD. The ty and the non-discriminatory character A structure of the MD can be conducted on of the MD. This improvement in the prac - The Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) is a bilateral level (that is to say 26 NATO tical field of the MD consisted in: pro - considered an integral part of the North countries and the MD country interested), moting military-to-military cooperation, Atlantic Alliance’s cooperative approach on a multilateral level (involving the 26 combating terrorism through effective to security and it reflects the Alliance’s NATO countries and the 7 MD countries) intelligence sharing and maritime co - 8 0 views that security in Europe is deeply or, finally, on a regional level (involving operation, promoting democratic control 0 2 linked to stability in the Mediterranean re - two or more countries in the cooperation). of armed forces and enhancing coop - . d e gion. The MD indeed aims at: contribut - The dialogue is progressive in terms of eration in the area of civil emergency M ing to regional security and stability, participation and substance, thus allow - planning. At the same Summit, the Al - achieving better mutual understanding ing the number of partners and the con - liance, considering itself ready for new between NATO and its Mediterranean tent of the Dialogue to evolve over time. challenges, decided to undertake a new Partners and dispelling misconceptions Besides, all the Mediterranean partners initiative. The Istanbul Cooperation Ini - about the Alliance among participating are offered the same basis for coopera - tiative (ICI) aims at contributing to long- 0 countries. It complements other initia - tion within a non discriminatory frame - term global and regional security by of - 7 3 tives in the region such as the Barcelona work. On the practical dimension, activ - fering practical bilateral cooperation with Process, the OSCE Mediterranean Part - ities such as civil emergency planning, NATO to countries of the broader Mid - ner Countries for Cooperation, and the science, information and also military ex - dle East region starting with members 5+5 Dialogue. The MD has its origins in ercises are held. This programme in - of the Gulf Cooperation Council the Brussels Summit Declaration in 1994, cludes: observation of NATO/PfP (Part - (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi when, after the positive developments nership for Peace) military exercises, Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). in the Middle East Peace process, the attending courses and seminars at NATO The initiative is open to all interested Heads of State and Government de - schools and visiting NATO military bod - countries of the above region who sub - clared their readiness to establish con - ies. All these activities are included in scribe to its contents, including fighting tacts between the Alliance and Mediter - the Annual Work Programme together against terrorism and the proliferation ranean non-member countries on a with seminars, workshops and other prac - of weapons of mass destruction. At the case-by-case basis. During 1995, Egypt, tical activities in areas such as the envi - present moment Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar Israel, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and ronment, information, crisis management, and the United Arab Emirates have Jordan were invited to participate in a di - defence policy and strategy, small arms joined the initiative. Within the framework alogue with NATO. In 2000 Algeria also and light weapons, global humanitarian of the initiative NATO countries decid - joined the MD. During the 1997 Madrid mine action and non-proliferation. Mediter - ed to establish the Istanbul Cooperation Summit the Mediterranean Cooperation ranean countries contribute to NATO-led Initiative Group composed of political group was established: all NATO mem - peacekeeping operations: Jordan, Egypt counsellors from the 26 delegations of bers are represented in it and it is the and Morocco participated in the NATO member countries to NATO. The group steering body for all questions related to mission of the Balkans. defines the procedures for the devel - the dialogue and its development. During the Istanbul Summit in 2004, opment of practical activities with inter - The MD consists of a political dialogue NATO’s Heads of State and Govern - ested countries and engages countries combined with participation on specific ment decided to enhance the practical participating in the Initiative on a “26+1” and practical activities. These meetings dimension of the Mediterranean Dia - basis for developing individual work are normally chaired by NATO’s Secre - logue. A number of principles guided plans and their implementation. tary General and are conducted between the Alliance’s work: the need for close The Mediterranean Dialogue is a forum for the North Atlantic Council and the am - consultation with the MD countries, the political consultations and practical co - bassador of each Mediterranean country. importance of being responsive to their operation which is addressed to countries They represent a privileged opportunity to interests and needs, the possibility of involved in Mediterranean-related process - es; the ICI is meant to promote essentially meet legislators and senior government on the future prospects of NATO-Qatar practical cooperation on a bilateral basis officials from the two Gulf countries. relations: how to enhance political con - and it concerns the Broader Middle East NATO parliamentarians also meet with sultations and how to develop a 2008 region. The two initiatives are comple - media and civil society representatives. menu of practical cooperation between mentary and they serve the same pur - The most important outcome of the vis - NATO and Qatar; pose of building strong ties in coopera - it is that parliamentarians of the two • 9 October, Egypt: NATO and Egypt tion fields with interested countries. In countries are invited as observers in se - finalise their Individual Cooperation Pro - this framework, it is worth stressing the ac - lected NATO PA activities; gramme (ICP) under the enhanced tivity of the NATO Parliamentary Special • 5-6 June, Manama (Bahrain): NATO- Mediterranean Dialogue. During Istanbul Group (GSM) that provides a forum for Bahrain Public Diplomacy Conference Summit, NATO Heads of State and Gov - parliamentarians from NATO and MENA on “Media in a Changing World: Per - ernment offered the MD partner countries countries. It is one of the first institutions spectives from GCC and NATO.” Par - the possibility to agree with NATO Indi - engaged with the region and it evolves ac - ticipants include academics, elected vidual Cooperation Programmes. The s e c cording to the new challenges and initia - and government officials, civil society ICP helps to frame NATO’s cooperation i d n tives that come to light. Reflecting the and diplomatic representatives from the with Egypt in a more strategic way than e p strategic importance of the Gulf region and Kingdom of Bahrain and other coun - is currently done with the Mediterranean p A the new ICI, the NATO PA has also start - tries taking part in the ICI; Dialogue Work programme; ed establishing links with parliamentary • 18-19 June, Tunis (Tunisia): Seminar • 21 October, Amman (Jordan): First institutions and advisory councils in the organised by the NATO Public Diplo - official visit to Jordan of the new Deputy countries of the Gulf region. macy Division and the Diplomatic Insti - Secretary General of NATO, Ambassa - tute for Formation and Studies of the dor Bisogniero. Talks focus on NATO- 8 Chronology January 2007 – Tunisian Foreign Ministry on the NATO Jordan relations in the framework of the 0 0 December 2007 Mediterranean Dialogue. The main MD and on the way to forward the im - 2 . d themes dealt with are: the transformation plementation of practical cooperation; e • 21 January, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): of the Mediterranean Dialogue and its im - • 22-23 October, Herzliya (Israel): M The NATO Public Diplomacy Division plementation especially regarding Tunisia, Two-day Symposium on “NATO-Israel and the Diplomatic Institute of Foreign Security and Environmental Challenges Relations and the Mediterranean Dia - Ministry of Saudi Arabia co-sponsor the in the Mediterranean Region; logue” co-sponsored by the NATO Pub - “NATO and GCC Countries Sympo - • 1-2 July, Naples (Italy): Fourth Naples lic diplomacy Division and the Atlantic sium. Cooperation within the framework Seminar organised in co-operation with Forum of Israel. The symposium brings 1 7 of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.” the Italian delegation of the NATO PA together high level opinion leaders and 3 Deputy Secretary General of NATO, and the Mediterranean Special Group policy makers from Israel and officials Ambassador Minuto Rizzo, stresses that (GSM). 40 members from NATO and from NATO; NATO would very much value the par - NATO PA and Mediterranean Associ - • 17 November Brussels (Belgium): ticipation of Saudi Arabia in the ICI con - ates (Algeria, Israel and Jordan) meet to The Emir of the State of Qatar pays an sidering the key role it plays in the region; discuss security issues in the MENA re - historic visit to NATO headquarters. This • 9 February, Seville (Spain): During an gion. The final session is focused on re - is the first visit of this kind by a Head of informal meeting NATO Defence Minis - cent NATO developments regarding the State of a member country of the ICI. ters meet their counterparts of the MD Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul • 3 December, Brussels (Belgium): countries. This is the second event ever Cooperation Initiative: the creation of a NATO launches the first ever Mediter - between NATO and the MD countries at Middle East faculty at the NATO De - ranean Dialogue Trust Fund with Jor - the level of Defence Ministers. During the fence College in Rome; dan to assist the country with the elim - meeting the ministers discuss the con - • 5 September, Kuwait City (Kuwait): ination of explosive remnants of war.