Europe needs effective multilateralism to address security challenges, it needs to be a nuclear weapons free region

The European Green Party

A) notes that the US government made the offer to become hosting countries for their Missile Defence System to Poland and to the Czech Republic at the same time when the Czech Green Party joined a coalition government;

B) notes that the Czech Green Party decided to consider this offer from the perspective of multilateral approach to security policy and by the relation to Czech Republic’s long term foreign and security policy framework, European Union and NATO as two main pillars, thus formulated a condition that the deployment of a US radar in the Czech Republic can be considered only if multilateralized and fully integrated into NATO defense system;

C) notes that the Czech Greens through this effort managed to integrate the multilateralization of the US radar station into NATO structure into the negotiation mandate and achieved common position of  NATO in this regard at the NATO Bucarest summit;

D) notes that NATO Bucarest summit has concluded that:“ Ballistic missile proliferation poses an increasing threat to Allies’ forces, territory and populations. Missile defence forms part of a broader response to counter this threat. We therefore recognise the substantial contribution to the protection of Allies from long range ballistic missiles to be provided by the planned deployment of European based United States missile defence assets. We are exploring ways to link this capability with current NATO missile defence efforts as a way to ensure that it would be an integral part of any future NATO wide missile defence architecture. Bearing in mind the principle of the indivisibility of Allied security as well as NATO solidarity, we task the Council in Permanent Session to develop options for a comprehensive missile defence architecture to extend coverage to all Allied territory and populations not otherwise covered by the United States system for review at our 2009 Summit, to inform any future political decision. 

1) is convinced that the deployment of such a system, at any rate on purely bilateral basis, is incompatible with the desirable reading of the European Security Strategy and the European Strategy Against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, and counterproductive for the security of Europe and its inhabitants;

2) finds it regrettable for the indivisibility of European security and the principles of effective multilateralism, that the US is negotiating the deployment of such a system bilaterally with three EU member states (Poland, Czech Republic and the U.K.);

3) reminds of the Article 16 of the Treaty on Common Foreign and Security Policy according to which „Member States shall inform and consult one another within the Council on any matter of foreign and security policy of general interest in order to ensure that the Union's influence is exerted as effectively as possible by means of concerted and convergent action“ and Article 11 which „Member states shall refrain from any action which is contrary to the interests of the Union or likely to impair its effectiveness as a cohesive force in international relations“;

4) calls for public debates within NATO member states and their respective parliaments on the question of whether to integrate current US proposals for their National Missile Defence programme with the ongoing NATO-project for a "theatre missile defence" system for protecting troops deployed on external missions against short range missile-attacks by 2010;

5) finds lack of readiness of European governments and parliaments to take a firm and united stand on the issue and deeply deplore that the EU Council and the high representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) refuse to take their responsibility on this issue;

6) takes note of the Russian concerns about the proposals but nevertheless calls on the Russian Federation to control their reaction and continue to abide by the Treaty on Conventional Arms in Europe (CFE) and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF);

7) considers arms control on missiles a better option to strengthen security than missile defence, therefore welcomes the call on 25 October 2007 by Russia and the US to give the INF-treaty a global character and call on all European member states to respond positively to this call;

8) suggests that all states in Europe in possession of long-range missiles and nuclear warheads, should refrain from modernising their arsenals and instead start preparing for a future in which Europe will be nuclear weapon free as part of a global Nuclear Weapons Convention; 

9) believes that to prevent a new arms race, the proliferation of WMD, the long-term threat from terrorists and other possible dangers to European and global security, there must be considerable political and material investment in conflict-prevention policies and disarmament initiatives;

10) is aware that the world looks to the EU to behave as a responsible and inspiring global leader and an active advocate for peace that is proud of its achievements and ready to engage with states outside the EU to build mutual trust and security and that, for the survival of our planet, we need to learn how to develop technologies for a positive future based on tolerance of cultural differences and an ecological balance, and not on isolation and the building of walls and barriers;

11) have understanding for the difficult circumstances of the Czech Greens, that share power in the Czech coalition government while they have been critisizing the missile shield project from the beginning and call on them to take responsible decision taking into account the arguments put forward in this resolution;

12) invites its Secretary General to forward this resolution to all Green parties.