Other Co-operation Initiatives in the Mediterranean 1. NATO’s Mediterranean development of the Dialogue; all the ings of the North Atlantic Council+7, in Dialogue and the Istanbul Mediterranean members are thus of- particular after the NATO ministerial Cooperation Initiative fered the same basis for co-operation meetings, summits of Heads of State Appendices and negotiation activities with NATO and Government, and other NATO NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue (MD), and the countries are free to choose the events. These meetings present an op- created in 1994 by the North Atlantic level and intensity of their participation portunity for NATO’s Secretary Gen- Council, brings together seven countries in the Dialogue, which also includes eral to inform the Ambassadors of the in the Mediterranean region that are the possibility of establishing Individual Mediterranean Dialogue about the not members of NATO: Algeria, Egypt, Cooperation Programmes (ICP). The agenda of the Alliance. 2006 Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and fact that the Mediterranean Dialogue The political dimension of the Mediter- Tunisia. This initiative is an integral part is seeking to strengthen and comple- ranean Dialogue also includes visits by Med. of the adaptation of the Alliance to the ment other international efforts such as senior officials from NATO, including security situation following the Cold the Euromediterranean Partnership and the Secretary General and the Assis- War, as well as an important component the Mediterranean Initiative of the Or- tant Secretary General, to the Mediter- of the policy of alliances and co-oper- ganisation for Security and Cooperation ranean Dialogue Countries, with the ation of the organisation. in Europe (OSCE) is also highlighted. objective of meeting the authorities of The Mediterranean Dialogue reflects Finally, it should be mentioned that in the respective countries and exchang- 319 the view adopted by the Alliance which principle, the activities undertaken with- ing points of view on the initiative, as is that security in Europe is closely in the framework of the Dialogue are de- well as becoming more familiar with linked to security and stability in the veloped on a self-financing basis; how- the objectives and specific priorities of Mediterranean region. The aim of this ever, the allies have agreed to consider the individual members. initiative is to contribute to regional se- requests for financial assistance to sup- The co-operation measures between curity and stability, to arrive at improved port participation by the Mediterranean NATO and the Mediterranean Dialogue mutual understanding and to eliminate members in the Dialogue. Countries are based on an Annual Pro- the misconceived ideas the member The Mediterranean Co-operation Group gramme of Work, established in 1997, countries have about NATO. (MCG) established at the Madrid Sum- which includes seminars, workshops Throughout its more than ten years of mit in July 1997 under the supervision and other practical activities at public history, the Mediterranean Dialogue and of the North Atlantic Council, a deci- diplomacy level (information and press its ensuing development have been sion-making body of NATO, is respon- activities, scientific environmental co-op- based on five principles. Firstly, the no- sible for the Mediterranean Dialogue. eration), planning for civil emergencies, tion of what is progressive in terms of The political advisors hold regular meet- crisis management, border security, as participation and content, which has ings to address all the topics related to well as consultations on terrorism and enabled a continual increase in the this initiative, including its future de- the proliferation of weapons of mass de- number of member countries over the velopment. Political consultations in the struction, among other things. years (Egypt, Israel, Morocco and Mau- NATO+1 format are conducted regu- The programme of work also has a ritania in 1994; Tunisia and Jordan in larly at ambassadorial level as well as military dimension that includes invi- 1995; and Algeria in 2000) and for the by task forces. These meetings pro- tations to Dialogue Countries to ob- content of the initiative to develop over vide an opportunity to exchange points serve – and in some cases to partici- time. However, the fundamentally bi- of view on a variety of topics that are pate in – NATO’s military exercises, to lateral nature of the structure of MD relevant to the security situation in the attend courses and participate in oth- (NATO+1) should be emphasised de- Mediterranean, as well as on the de- er military activities of the Alliance. In ad- spite the fact that multilateral meetings velopment of the dimension of practi- dition, the consultation meetings are held on a regular basis (NATO+7). cal and political co-operation of the Di- NATO+7 that bring together NATO mil- The principle of non-discrimination is alogue. Meetings in the NATO+7 format itary personnel from the Mediterranean also a key element in the creation and are held regularly, including the meet- Dialogue Countries are held twice a year. Meetings of the Ministers for For- dance with the resolution passed at fence; and how the international com- eign Affairs have, however, been a reg- the Istanbul Summit in June 2002. munity could act more effectively ular feature of the Mediterranean Dia- • 17th February, Morocco: Visit to the against terrorism. This is the sixth vis- logue since November 2004 and the country by NATO’s Secretary General, it by NATO’s Secretary General to the first meeting of the Ministers for Defence the first of its kind. The measures for re- countries participating in the Dialogue, will take place in February 2006. Fi- inforcing the political and practical di- with the objective of continuing to nally, it should be emphasised that three mensions of the Mediterranean Dia- strengthen the political and practical di- member states – Egypt, Jordan and logue are examined, primarily focusing mension of this initiative and building Morocco – have co-operated militarily on the fight against terrorism and ille- closer ties of trust, dialogue and co- with NATO in operations led by NATO gal trafficking. operation in the Mediterranean. in Bosnia-Herzegovina (IFOR/SFOR) • 24th February, Israel: First visit by • 26th September, Dubai (UAE): Pro- and Kosovo (KFOR). NATO’s Secretary General to Israel to moting Co-operation and Fostering Re- A new and different initiative, but com- examine ways of strengthening political lations: NATO-Gulf relations in the plementary to the Mediterranean Dia- and practical co-operation with the Framework of the Istanbul Co-opera- logue, was simultaneously launched at country. tion Initiative. Conference organised the Istanbul Summit in June 2004 with • 18th March, Rome (Italy): NATO and by the Gulf Research Center (GRC) in Appendices the aim of reaching interested coun- the broader Middle East region. Con- collaboration with NATO’s Public Diplo- tries in the Middle East region, com- ference that brings together a hundred macy Division. The principal topics dis- mencing with the countries of the Gulf senior officials, parliamentarians, aca- cussed are the strategic balance of se- Co-operation Council (GCC). The Is- demics and experts in the field of se- curity in the Gulf from the differing tanbul Co-operation Initiative (ICI), ac- curity of NATO and the Gulf countries perspectives of the Gulf and NATO, cordingly seeks to reinforce security to exchange points of view on the im- the definition of relations between NATO 2006 and stability by encouraging mutually plementation of the Istanbul Co-oper- and the Gulf or the role of NATO in the beneficial bilateral relations, in parti- ation Initiative. promotion of co-operation in the areas Med. cular in the context of the fight against • 28th April, Tunisia: Visit by Jaap de of reform of defence and the fight terrorism and the proliferation of wea- Joop Scheffer to Tunisia to discuss the against terrorism. pons of mass destruction. implementation of a more ambitious • 12th-13th October, Egypt: historic Four of the six countries of the GCC – and wider framework for the Mediter- visit by NATO’s Secretary General to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait (first three ranean Dialogue. Egypt, testifying to the importance that months of 2005) and the United Arab • 5th-7th May, Amman (Jordan): Re- the Alliance attached to the contribu- 320 Emirates (June 2005) – have joined cent Developments and New Political tion by Egypt to the Mediterranean Di- this initiative. Just after the creation of Perspectives in the Broader Middle alogue and the strategic role of the the ICI, the NATO countries established East Region. NATO Conference and country in the Middle East. the Istanbul Co-operation Initiative the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO. • 8th-9th November, Algiers (Algeria): Group, composed of political advisors • 3rd June, Washington (USA): La coopération entre l’Algérie et l’OTAN: from the 26 delegations of the member NATO’s Evolving Role in the Middle évaluation et perspectives Seminar Al- states of the Alliance, responsible for East: The Gulf Dimension. Organised geria-NATO organised by the Institut determining the lines of action for the by NATO and the Henry L. Stimson National de Stratégie Globale (INESG) development of a series of practical Center, this conference discussed how and NATO’s Public Diplomacy Divi- activities with the countries interested the analysis of the role of NATO in the sion. in the initiative and ensuring imple- security of the Gulf region and the in- • 1st December, Doha (Qatar): Con- mentation of these activities. In this terests of the United States or NATO ference on NATO security and the Gulf. sense, the group will also encourage and the future of the Arab World, among Sponsored by the government of Qatar, member countries to participate in the other things. NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division and ICI on the basis of 26+1 for the pur- • 15th-16th June, Israel: Meeting of the RAND Corporation, this conference pose of developing individual work the Secretary General with the Knes- brings together NATO officials, com- plans.