WEBVTT 00:17.216 --> 00:18.049 - Good afternoon. 00:18.049 --> 00:18.990 The Secretary General and the President 00:18.990 --> 00:20.770 will make opening remarks, 00:20.770 --> 00:23.945 and then we have time for a question or two. 00:23.945 --> 00:24.861 Secretary General. 00:24.861 --> 00:27.578 - President Levits, Egils, 00:27.578 --> 00:28.411 it is a great pleasure 00:28.411 --> 00:30.930 to welcome you here at NATO headquarters. 00:30.930 --> 00:33.565 And also to thank you for Latvia's 00:33.565 --> 00:37.483 strong commitment to our alliance. 00:38.670 --> 00:39.980 We just discussed preparations 00:39.980 --> 00:43.220 for the Leaders' meeting in London next week. 00:43.220 --> 00:46.320 We both agree on NATO's indispensable role 00:46.320 --> 00:48.700 in keeping Europe secure. 00:48.700 --> 00:51.530 The foundations of NATO are strong, 00:51.530 --> 00:55.080 and we will ensure the alliance is fit for the future. 00:55.080 --> 00:57.220 We are strengthening our defense 01:00.260 --> 01:01.840 and deterrence, 01:01.840 --> 01:06.840 and we are working together to continue to modernize 01:07.440 --> 01:10.300 the alliance with a modern command structure, 01:10.300 --> 01:13.750 and more forces at higher readiness. 01:13.750 --> 01:17.047 We are responding to hybrid and cyber threats, 01:17.047 --> 01:20.630 and we have agreed new requirements 01:20.630 --> 01:25.040 for protecting critical infrastructure, including 5G. 01:25.040 --> 01:28.020 Foreign Ministers have just recognized space 01:28.020 --> 01:30.710 as an operational domain for NATO, 01:30.710 --> 01:34.870 alongside land, sea, air, and cyberspace. 01:34.870 --> 01:37.690 We have also stepped up in the fight against terrorism, 01:37.690 --> 01:39.690 with our training mission in Iraq, 01:39.690 --> 01:42.860 and our training mission in Afghanistan. 01:42.860 --> 01:45.770 The Leaders' meeting will also address new challenges, 01:45.770 --> 01:50.430 including the rise of China, and emerging technologies. 01:50.430 --> 01:54.960 I want to thank Latvia for it's strong commitment to NATO. 01:54.960 --> 01:57.430 You lead by example on defense spending, 01:57.430 --> 02:00.483 committing more than two percent of GDP for defense, 02:02.900 --> 02:05.730 and investing in major equipment. 02:05.730 --> 02:08.930 Your troops help train local forces as part 02:08.930 --> 02:11.710 of our Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, 02:11.710 --> 02:16.710 and you host the NATO battle group in Adazi, 02:16.950 --> 02:18.370 and I had the pleasure of being there when 02:18.370 --> 02:22.320 we inaugurated that battle group a couple of years ago. 02:22.320 --> 02:23.950 The battle group, led by Canada, 02:23.950 --> 02:27.210 includes troops from nine allies. 02:27.210 --> 02:30.300 They demonstrate the strength of the transatlantic bond, 02:30.300 --> 02:32.460 soldiers from North America and Europe, 02:32.460 --> 02:34.640 keeping our alliance safe. 02:34.640 --> 02:37.717 And they demonstrate the strength of multilateralism, 02:37.717 --> 02:42.717 many countries working together with one common goal. 02:42.770 --> 02:45.390 We agree that NATO is the only 02:45.390 --> 02:48.340 guarantor of European security. 02:48.340 --> 02:51.740 Our forces prevent conflict and preserve peace. 02:51.740 --> 02:53.590 They send a clear message of NATO's 02:53.590 --> 02:55.670 commitment to the Baltic region 02:55.670 --> 02:57.930 in the face of Russia's military build-up, 02:57.930 --> 03:01.720 and pattern of destabilizing behavior. 03:01.720 --> 03:06.720 We will discuss our united approach to Russia 03:06.910 --> 03:10.820 at the meeting of NATO leaders in London, next week. 03:10.820 --> 03:13.900 So, Mr. President, thank you once again for being here. 03:13.900 --> 03:16.310 Thank you for your strong personal commitment 03:16.310 --> 03:19.173 to this alliance, and once again, welcome. 03:20.620 --> 03:23.643 - Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary General. 03:25.020 --> 03:28.870 Latvia is very appreciating your role 03:28.870 --> 03:33.870 in the strengthening of NATO and our common defense policy. 03:35.920 --> 03:38.472 NATO is a key element of Latvia's 03:38.472 --> 03:41.380 defense and foreign policy. 03:41.380 --> 03:45.710 We should not forget that Latvia is, since 70 years, 03:45.710 --> 03:50.030 the strongest military and defense alliance in the world, 03:50.030 --> 03:54.840 and that should be also continued in the same way. 03:54.840 --> 03:58.940 Because the challenges are new, different, 03:58.940 --> 04:03.940 but a necessity to have a strong defense alliance is there, 04:06.250 --> 04:11.250 NATO unites member states with the same value basis, 04:12.120 --> 04:14.810 and those values should be defended. 04:14.810 --> 04:18.870 Also, with the means, 04:18.870 --> 04:21.860 military and defense means. 04:21.860 --> 04:24.750 Latvia welcomes the presence of NATO, 04:24.750 --> 04:27.013 especially with, you mentioned already, 04:28.560 --> 04:33.560 multilateral battle troop in Latvia, 04:33.900 --> 04:36.180 which consist of nine nation's forces, 04:36.180 --> 04:39.620 which is very important to organize, 04:39.620 --> 04:42.520 and to learn the cooperation 04:42.520 --> 04:46.250 between different defense forces. 04:46.250 --> 04:51.250 We are welcoming very much this battle group, 04:51.410 --> 04:53.790 which is led by Canada, 04:53.790 --> 04:58.700 and this also shows the transatlantic relations 04:58.700 --> 05:00.230 between European pillar 05:00.230 --> 05:03.940 and North American pillar is very strong, 05:03.940 --> 05:06.840 and also American presence in Poland, 05:06.840 --> 05:09.440 which is also have some influence, 05:09.440 --> 05:14.200 and we have also some American presence 05:14.200 --> 05:16.030 in Baltics 05:16.030 --> 05:18.423 is strong and should be, 05:22.629 --> 05:24.670 as in the last 70 years, 05:24.670 --> 05:29.670 the cornerstone of NATO strategy and NATO politics. 05:30.150 --> 05:35.150 So, transatlantic unity is the cornerstone of NATO, 05:35.180 --> 05:37.640 and this should not be questioned. 05:37.640 --> 05:38.680 We are, of course, 05:38.680 --> 05:43.080 for strengthening the defense force 05:45.325 --> 05:48.410 of capacity of European member states of NATO 05:48.410 --> 05:53.410 fully integrated in the NATO strategy in NATO system. 05:54.490 --> 05:56.980 But, of course, also, 05:56.980 --> 05:58.963 NATO, European, 06:00.210 --> 06:04.640 NATO members should strengthen their contribution. 06:04.640 --> 06:08.410 I am proud that Latvia belongs to the member states of NATO 06:08.410 --> 06:11.930 which fulfills two percent obligation 06:11.930 --> 06:16.582 to spend two percent of GDP for defense. 06:16.582 --> 06:21.260 This is a common decision of all NATO member states, 06:21.260 --> 06:25.650 and we are looking forward that all NATO member states 06:25.650 --> 06:26.483 would... 06:31.696 --> 06:34.290 in a period which is not too long, 06:34.290 --> 06:37.070 to fulfill this two percent obligation. 06:37.070 --> 06:42.070 So, we are doing with all of this since the last few years. 06:46.040 --> 06:48.640 You mentioned, Mr. Secretary General, 06:48.640 --> 06:51.210 that a new challenge, just for NATO, 06:51.210 --> 06:55.310 especially cyber war, and to new technologies, 06:55.310 --> 06:58.290 that shows that NATO is 06:59.876 --> 07:04.040 a necessity to have NATO is very actual, 07:04.040 --> 07:09.040 and we should keep NATO together as a united union 07:10.390 --> 07:11.800 of member states, 07:11.800 --> 07:15.560 which based on the same values, 07:15.560 --> 07:17.900 and we are willing, Latvia is willing, 07:17.900 --> 07:22.900 and I'm sure that, also, all NATO members states are willing 07:23.556 --> 07:26.960 to defend their values, 07:26.960 --> 07:28.790 their democratic order, 07:28.790 --> 07:31.090 also by NATO. 07:31.090 --> 07:33.600 Thank you, Mr. Secretary General 07:33.600 --> 07:38.140 for your personal contribution to the strengthening 07:38.140 --> 07:40.600 of our defense capacity. 07:40.600 --> 07:42.095 Thank you. 07:42.095 --> 07:43.581 - [Woman In Background] Latvian Radio. 07:43.581 --> 07:47.570 - (mumbles) I have a question for the Secretary General. 07:47.570 --> 07:50.450 There's been a lot of talk about burden sharing 07:50.450 --> 07:51.630 at a famous two percent, 07:51.630 --> 07:54.400 but there is also debate about the contribution 07:54.400 --> 07:58.820 to the NATO central fund, or the central budget. 07:58.820 --> 08:00.327 It's clear that the US 08:00.327 --> 08:04.160 wants to reduce their payments into that fund, 08:04.160 --> 08:06.760 but not all the other member states of the alliance 08:06.760 --> 08:09.380 agree to increase their payments, 08:09.380 --> 08:11.320 to sort of cover that gap. 08:11.320 --> 08:13.582 Could you update us on how the debates are going 08:13.582 --> 08:14.923 in this round, please? 08:15.770 --> 08:18.090 - In NATO, we adopt the budget 08:19.160 --> 08:20.940 for the next year, every year. 08:20.940 --> 08:24.313 So, that is an annual process, and we have now, 08:26.890 --> 08:29.210 as always, a process, 08:29.210 --> 08:34.210 which we need to conclude to adopt the budget 08:34.720 --> 08:35.970 for next year. 08:35.970 --> 08:40.970 So, that is part of the regular discussions within NATO 08:41.000 --> 08:44.920 about the budget, and the cost shares, 08:44.920 --> 08:48.650 and I am absolutely certain that we will conclude 08:48.650 --> 08:49.680 that in due time. 08:52.082 --> 08:53.379 - [Woman In Background] Okay, thank you very much. 08:53.379 --> 08:54.810 This concludes this press (murmurs). 08:54.810 --> 08:55.893 - Thank you.