NATO States Summit Declaration Slams Russian And Iranian “Destabilising” Activities

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Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels on July 11-12 released a final declaration prising NATO’s efforts to pursue “peace, security, and stability in the whole of the Euro-Atlantic area” as well as slamming “destabilizing” activities of Russia and Iran.

The declaration pointed out the situation in Syria, eastern Europe, including Ukraine and Moldova, once again said that Iran’s missile program and foreign policy are allegedly destabilizing the Middle East as well as repeated UK fake news accusations over the alleged nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury.

Indeed, the delcaration repeated all the mainstream propaganda against Russia and Iran.

Some quotes from the declaration (full text):

“We face a dangerous, unpredictable, and fluid security environment, with enduring challenges and threats from all strategic directions; from state and non-state actors; from military forces; and from terrorist, cyber, and hybrid attacks. Russia’s aggressive actions, including the threat and use of force to attain political goals, challenge the Alliance and are undermining Euro-Atlantic security and the rules-based international order.  Instability and continuing crises across the Middle East and North Africa are fuelling terrorism.  They also contribute to irregular migration and human trafficking.  The ongoing crisis in Syria has a direct effect on the stability of the region and the security of the Alliance as a whole.  We face hybrid challenges, including disinformation campaigns and malicious cyber activities.  The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and advanced missile technology also continues to threaten the security of our nations.   In light of all this, our unity and solidarity are stronger than ever; we will take all necessary steps to ensure our collective defence. ”

“The Euro-Atlantic security environment has become less stable and predictable as a result of Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea and ongoing destabilisation of eastern Ukraine; its military posture and provocative military activities, including near NATO borders, such as the deployment of modern dual-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, repeated violation of NATO Allied airspace, and the continued military build-up in Crimea; its significant investments in the modernisation of its strategic forces; its irresponsible and aggressive nuclear rhetoric; its large-scale, no-notice snap exercises; and the growing number of its exercises with a nuclear dimension.  This is compounded by Russia’s continued violation, non-implementation, and circumvention of numerous obligations and commitments in the realm of arms control and confidence- and security-building measures.  Russia is also challenging Euro-Atlantic security and stability through hybrid actions, including attempted interference in the election processes, and the sovereignty of our nations, as was the case in Montenegro, widespread disinformation campaigns, and malicious cyber activities.  We condemn the attack using a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom and note the independent confirmation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the nerve agent used.  The UK assesses that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation was responsible for the attack and that there is no plausible alternative explanation.  We stand in solidarity with the UK in its assessment.”

“We reiterate our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova within their internationally recognised borders.  In accordance with its international commitments, we call on Russia to withdraw the forces it has stationed in all three countries without their consent.  We strongly condemn Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, which we do not and will not recognise.  The discrimination against the Crimean Tatars and members of other local communities must end.  International monitoring structures must be allowed to carry out their essential work in view of the protection of human rights.  We call for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements by all sides, and support the efforts of the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group.  NATO’s response is in support of this overall effort, which includes sanctions as decided by the European Union (EU), the G7, and others, to promote a peaceful solution to the conflict and to address Russia’s actions.  We urge Russia to cease all political, financial, and military support to militant groups and stop intervening militarily in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to withdraw troops, equipment, and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine, and return to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination.  We are deeply concerned by the use of torture and the transfer of Ukrainian citizens to prisons in Russia. We stress the importance of the safety and full and unhindered access for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission, up to and including the Russia-Ukraine border.  We call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia as independent states; to implement the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 ceasefire, particularly the withdrawal of Russian forces from the territory of Georgia; to end its militarisation of these regions; and to stop the construction of border-like obstacles.  We also call on Russia to withdraw its troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, and to continue to engage constructively in the Transnistria Settlement Process.  We are committed to supporting the Republic of Moldova’s democratic reforms and defence capacity building efforts.”

“We are concerned by Iran’s intensified missile tests and the range and precision of its ballistic missiles and by Iran’s destabilising activities in the wider Middle East region.  We call upon Iran to refrain from all activities which are inconsistent with UNSCR 2231 — including all annexes.  We are committed to permanently ensuring that Iran’s nuclear programme remains peaceful, in line with its international obligations and commitments to never seek, develop, or acquire a nuclear weapon.  We underscore the importance for Iran to continue to fully cooperate in a timely manner with the IAEA.  We condemn all financial support of terrorism, including Iran’s support to a variety of armed non-state actors.  We also call upon Iran to play a constructive role by contributing to efforts to counter terrorism and achieve political solutions, reconciliation and peace in the region. Syria has a significant inventory of short range ballistic missiles whose range covers part of NATO’s territory and some of our partners’ territories.  Syria has used these missiles extensively against its own population.  We remain concerned that Turkey has been hit three times in the last four years by missiles launched from Syria.  We continue to monitor and assess the ballistic missile threat from Syria.

The increasing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles in the vicinity of the south-east border of the Alliance has been, and remains a driver in NATO’s development and deployment of a ballistic missile defence system, which is configured to counter threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic area.”

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