Madeleine Albright first explained the key tasks in updating NATO’s Strategic Concept, which aims to build “a strong, versatile and adaptable North Atlantic Alliance”, able to respond adequately to 21st century challenges.

These tasks are: analyzing the implications of the changing nature of the international security environment; the need for ongoing military transformation, in order to have flexible and sustainable forces; elaborating a comprehensive approach to international problems, including the EU-NATO cooperation; NATO’s relations with other partners; and attracting and maintaining public support inside and outside the Alliance.

EU-NATO co-operation: “a unique and vital partnership”

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP, PL), chair of the EP delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, deplored the "weakness" of dialogue between the two institutions. "It is high time to change the fact that both sides ignore each other” and seek synergies, he said.

Speaking personally, former US Secretary of State Albright acknowledged the "problem of competition", in an era of scarce resources, when "so much needs to be done in a spirit of co-operation."

"NATO is the relationship that keeps the United States in Europe" and the question is how to make sure that US and other countries are part of the discussion on security", she said.

The examples of the Balkans and Afghanistan show the need to combine the military and civil capabilities of NATO and the EU and how they can work together to avoid duplication, including costs, especially in a time of economic crisis when national budgets are overstretched, she added.

According to Geoffrey van Orden (ECR, UK), the EU has no additional military capability and merely duplicates what NATO does, the EU being in the end "a political project." He recommended a clear division of labour, with NATO performing military tasks while the EU uses "soft power" tools.

NATO’s enlargement policy

“Will NATO’s enlargement policy of the late 90s continue?” asked Marietta Giannakou (EPP, EL). The expert group “is not undoing various aspects that are NATO policies”, replied Ms Albright, referring to the Bucharest Declaration, which says that “NATO’s door will remain open to European democracies willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership”. She recalled that “NATO is not a philanthropic organisation but a security alliance”, stressing the centrality of the mutual defence clause enshrined in article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

Relations with the Russian Federation

The NATO-Russia relationship is a "functional relation", demanding a pragmatic approach, said Ms Albright, in reply to a question by Hannes Swoboda (S&D, AT) about its past and future.  Admitting that there had been many misunderstandings during the 90s, she said that at present "there are no specific conclusions", but “we are in the process of taking inventory”. Russia is just one of the partners and should not be “the tail that wags the dog”, she added.

Need for public support

Reinhard Butikhofer (Greens/EFA, DE) wanted to know how public opinion is involved in the Strategic Concept review process. Expert Group Vice Chair Jeroen van der Veer explained that this consultation process must first ensure clarity about NATO's role, so that the public can understand it. The Expert Group's final report would therefore be concise, and available to the public, he promised, adding that the consultation process under way would include "public diplomacy" events such as university lectures.

Background – Review of NATO’s Strategic Concept

At the April 2009 NATO summit in Strasbourg / Kehl, it was decided that a new NATO Strategic Concept would be developed in time for NATO’s next summit, to be held in Lisbon in November 2010. The Expert Group chaired by former US Secretary of State Dr Madeleine K. Albright has been analyzing the security challenges of the 21st century and NATO's role a new security environment, as the last Strategic Concept dates from 1999, before NATO's enlargement and the 9/11 attacks.

After a series of thematic seminars and fact-finding missions in all NATO capitals, the Expert Group will submit its final report, with analysis and recommendations, to the NATO Secretary-General, thus paving the way for the development of a new Strategic Concept, to be approved at the next NATO summit in Lisbon.