/pub/history/military/a-weu/document 
File: docu1322.OO3


   Extraordinary meeting of the WEU Council of Ministers
               with states of Central Europe

                   Bonn, 19th June 1992




1.  At the invitation of the German Presidency of Western 
European Union, the Foreign and Defence Ministers of Belgium, 
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, 
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, 
Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom met in Bonn on 
19th June 1992 to demonstrate their resolve to enhance the scope 
of the relationship initiated by a decision of the Ministerial 
Council in Brussels in April 1990.

2.  Ministers agreed that, in view of the profound changes in 
Europe of the last few years, intensifying the relations between 
WEU and the states of Central Europe will contribute to 
stability and the emergence of a new peaceful order in Europe 
based on partnership and co-operation, greater security and 
confidence, as well as disarmament.

3.  Ministers welcomed the decisions taken by the CSCE Council 
in Berlin and Prague regarding the relationships between the 
CSCE and other mutually reinforcing European and transatlantic 
organisations including WEU.  They underlined that security in 
its broadest sense encompasses not only military but also 
political aspects, respect for human rights and fundamental 
freedoms, as well as economic, social and environmental aspects.

4.  Ministers acknowledged that WEU will be one of the essential 
elements of the future European security architecture, in 
accordance with the decisions taken by the European Council in 
Maastricht in December 1991.  In this context, they noted that 
the Petersberg Declaration states:

  " As WEU develops its operational capabilities in accordance 
with the Maastricht Declaration, we are prepared to support, on 
a case-by-case basis and in accordance with our own procedures, 
the effective implementation of conflict prevention and crisis 
management measures, including peace-keeping activities of the 
CSCE or the United Nations Security Council.  This will be done 
without prejudice to possible contributions by other CSCE 
countries and other organisations to these activities."

5.  The enhancement of WEU's relations with Bulgaria, 
Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and 
Romania should reflect the specific relations which exist and 
are developing between these countries and the European Union 
and its member states.  Other appropriate forms of co-operation 
could be set up as required in the light of the development of 
these relations.

6.  Ministers had a detailed exchange of views on the 
development of co-operation between WEU and these states.  They 
agreed to strengthen existing relations by structuring the 
dialogue, consultations and co-operation.

  The focus of consultations will be the security architecture 
and stability in Europe, the future development of the CSCE, 
arms control and disarmanent, in particular the implementation 
of the CFE and Open Skies Treaties, as well as the 1992 Vienna 
Document.  Developments in Europe and neighbouring regions will 
be of particular interest to the participants.

  In this way, WEU's Central European partners will be able to 
acquaint themselves with the future security and defence policy 
of the European Union and find new opportunities to co-operate 
with the defence component of the Union and with the European 
pillar of the Atlantic Alliance as these develop.

7.  The Foreign and Defence Ministers adopted the following 
concrete measures:

-  Foreign and Defence Ministers will meet once a year.  
   Additional meetings at ministerial level may be convened if 
   circumstances require.

-  A forum of consultation will be established between the WEU 
   Permanent Council and the ambassadors of the countries 
   concerned.  It will meet at the seat of the WEU Council at least 
   twice a year.

-  These meetings will provide an opportunity to monitor the 
   implementation of the measures adopted and, where appropriate, 
   to make proposals for the inclusion of other fields of co-
   operation.

-  Consultations at ministerial and WEU Permanent 
   Council/ambassador level on security issues may be complemented 
   by meetings with an ad hoc WEU troika at senior official level.

-  The following initiatives will be continued and encouraged:

  Regular exchanges of documents and information;

  Growing co-operation between the WEU Institute for Security 
  studies and the corresponding bodies in the countries concerned.  
  An increasing number of seminars and colloquia will be 
  organised.  The programme of scholarships will be continued.

8.  Ministers advocated the development of relations between the 
WEU Assembly and the parliaments of the states concerned.

9.  These measures, conducted in the framework of WEU with the 
states of Central Europe, and similar endeavours conducted in 
the alliance framework, will be mutually complementary and 
reinforcing.



                              -------

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