NATO message on 'European and Asian security'
NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer assessed the security of Europe and Asia during his opening speech at the "Seoul Defense Dialogue 2024" conference held in the capital of South Korea.
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Noting that the Russia-Ukraine crisis has created global repercussions, Bauer stated that food, energy, and migration are being "used as weapons" and that "autocratic leaders" around the world are aiding this process.
Using the phrase "tectonic power plates are shifting," Bauer noted that they are facing the "most dangerous world with the most conflict" since the Second World War.
Stating that attempts are being made to create divisions, Bauer said, "It is important that we see how the dots connect. Because in this hyper-connected age, the security of Europe and Asia cannot be separated."
STATEMENTS REGARDING NORTH KOREA AND CHINA
Admiral Bauer stated that NATO believes the deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula, reiterating that the Alliance strongly condemns North Korea's ongoing ballistic missile tests.
Expressing that North Korea's missile and nuclear programs are a threat to global security, Bauer mentioned that they have recently watched footage of Chinese ships "deliberately colliding" with Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.
Bauer said, "China is once again showing the world that it does not believe in freedom of navigation and does not respect international maritime laws."
Claiming that China is also providing large-scale support to Russia's defense industry, Bauer described China as a "decisive enabler of Russia's war against Ukraine."
'2-METER BOUNCER' ANALOGY
Stating that the best response to increasing levels of conflict and growing insecurity is to stand together more firmly than ever, Bauer noted the following:
"Deterrence is the 2-meter bouncer in front of a nightclub who makes you think twice about whether you want to get in. What matters is having the political will and military capability to be credible and to act decisively when necessary. Because when it comes to collective defense, time is not on your side. And this is true for both the Euro-Atlantic region and the Indo-Pacific."
Noting that NATO has established "multi-layered cooperation" with its Indo-Pacific partners South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, including arms control, cyber defense, and maritime security, Bauer assessed, "NATO is a regional organization and will remain so, but when it comes to security, there is no such thing as local."