Uvod – Održati NATO jakim

Ove prijetnje predstavljaju izazov međunarodnom poretku koji smo gradili od pada Berlinskog zida – poredak koji otjelovljuje naše demokratske vrijednosti i koji je vitalan za naš način života. I tako, od mog prvog dana u uredu, moji prioriteti bili su da održim NATO jakim, da radim s partnerima da bih pomogao da se naše susjedstvo održi stabilnim i da očuvamo čvrstu vezu između Evrope i Sjeverne Amerike.

Na našem samitu u Velsu u septembru, NATO je pokazao da transatlantska zajednica ustaje pred izazovom. Dogovorili smo “Akcioni plan spremnosti”. Ovo je tokom decenija najznačajnije jačanje naše kolektivne odbrane, da uvjerimo sve saveznike, unaprijedimo odgovornost i efikasnost naših snaga i obeshrabrimo prijetnje odakle god dolaze. Trudimo se da implementiramo plan u cijelosti i na vrijeme.

Da bismo ovo uradili, važno je da investiramo u našu odbranu. Moramo potrošiti više i moramo trošiti bolje. U Velsu, šefovi država i vlada NATO-a založili su se da se prestane sa rezanjima troškova odbrane, da im je cilj da potroše 2% bruto domaćeg proizvoda na odbranu u toku jedne decenije i da se novac troši efikasnije. Nastaviću da radim sa saveznicima da održim to obećanje. 2014. bila je konačna godina naše borbene operacije u Avganistanu, najveće u istoriji Saveza. Uradili smo ono što smo počeli: ukinuli sigurne zone međunarodnim teroristima, ojačali Avganistan i naše nacije učinili sigurnijim.

Danas je sigurnost Avganistana u potpunosti u rukama Avganistana. Iako ostaje još mnogo izazova, odlučni smo da podržimo Avganistan da gradi na dobicima koje smo postigli s velikim naporom i žrtvama. Zato smo pokrenuli novu misiju, Odlučna podrška, da obučavamo, savjetujemo i pomažemo Nacionalnoj odbrani Avganistana i snagama sigurnosti. Takođe ćemo pomoći da se obezbijedi finansijska pomoć za te snage i intenzivira naš politički dijalog i naša praktična saradnja sa Avganistanom.

Ključna lekcija iz naših misija i operacija tokom proteklih 20 godina, od Avganistana do Kosova, jeste potreba da se radi s drugim nacijama i organizacijama. Takođe pružamo ruku partnerima da im omogućimo da se bolje suoče sa izazovima sigurnosti u njihovim regionima. Ovo uključuje zemlje kao što su Ukjrajina, Republika Moldavija i Gruzija, koje dijele naše vrijednosti i koje su izabrale evropski put, isto tako i Jordan, ključni igrač sigurnosti na Bliskom istoku – jer ako su naši susjedi stabilniji i mi smo sigurniji. Takođe pojačavamo našu saradnju sa Evropskom unijom. Dijelimo iste vrijednosti i iste izazove, tako da moramo nastaviti da dopunjavamo i jačamo jedni druge.

Prošle godine, sami temelji euro-atlantskog poretka došli su pod udar prijetnje. Ali kako ovaj Godišnji izvještaj pokazuje, odgovor NATO-a je bio, i ostaće, čvrst. NATO se prilagođava novom sigurnosnom okruženju, kao što je to radio tokom svoje istorije. Uvijek ćemo štititi naše vrijednosti i čuvati sigurnost naših zemalja.

Foreword - Keeping NATO strong

These threats challenge the international order we have built since the fall of the Berlin Wall – an order that embodies our democratic values and is vital for our way of life.

So, from my first day in office, my priorities have been to keep NATO strong, to work with partners to help keep our neighbourhood stable, and to keep the bond between Europe and North America rock-solid.

At our Summit in Wales in September, NATO showed that the transatlantic community is rising to the challenge. We agreed the “Readiness Action Plan”. This is the most significant strengthening of our collective defence in decades, to assure all Allies, improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of our forces, and deter threats from wherever they may come. We are working hard to implement the plan in full and on time.

To do this, it is vital that we invest in our defence. We must spend more and we must spend better. At Wales, NATO Heads of State and Government pledged to stop the cuts in defence spending, to aim to spend 2% of Gross Domestic Product on defence within a decade, and to spend that money more efficiently. I will continue to work with Allies to keep that pledge.

2014 was the final year of our combat operation in Afghanistan, the largest in Alliance history. We did what we set out to do: to deny safe haven to international terrorists, to make Afghanistan stronger, and to make our own nations safer.

Today, the security of Afghanistan is fully in Afghan hands. While many challenges remain, we are determined to support Afghanistan to build on the gains that we have made with great effort and sacrifice. That is why we have launched a new mission, Resolute Support, to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces. We will also continue to provide financial assistance for those forces, and intensify our political dialogue and our practical cooperation with Afghanistan.

A key lesson from our missions and operations over the last 20 years, from Afghanistan to Kosovo, is the need to work with other nations and organisations. We are also reaching out to partners to enable them to better meet security challenges in their own regions. This includes countries like Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, which share our values and have chosen a European path, as well as Jordan, a key security player in the Middle East – because if our neighbours are more stable, we are more secure.

We are also stepping up our cooperation with the European Union. We share the same values and the same challenges, so we must continue to complement and reinforce each other.

Last year, the very foundations of the Euro-Atlantic order came under threat. But as this Annual Report makes clear, NATO’s response has been, and will remain, firm. NATO is adapting to the new security environment, as it has done throughout its history. We will always protect our values and keep our nations safe.