CD&V

Yves Leterme Prime Minister of Belgium at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the new NATO Headquarters

December 16 2010, 6:21am

Monsieur le Secrétaire Général,Mesdames et Messieurs les Représentants Permanents, Messieurs les Représentants militaires,Mesdames et Messieurs, C’est un honneur pour la Belgique et pour moi de pouvoir me trouver ici parmi vous à l’occasion de la pose de la première pierre du nouveau quartier général de l’OTAN.  Lors du Sommet de Washington de 1999 la décision à été prise de construire un nouveau quartier général civil pour l’Alliance. Nous célébrions alors  le 50ème anniversaire de l’Alliance. Lorsqu’en décembre 2004, l’OTAN nous a demandé de reprendre la gestion du projet, la Belgique a accepté de relever ce défi. Je tiens à féliciter l’équipe du Ministère de la Défense sous la direction du colonel Lanotte qui n’a compté ni son temps ni ses efforts pour mener à bien ce projet. Vous avez prouvé une fois de plus votre grand savoir-faire et l’étape que nous franchissons aujourd’hui est en grande partie le résultat de votre travail.Mr. Secretary General,  Let me of course thank you and, through you all our Allies, for the confidence you placed in Belgium in asking us to manage this important project.  Belgium will further accomplish its numerous duties as a host nation, grateful for the renewed confidence and also mindful of the spirit of solidarity which prevails in our Alliance. When characterising our Alliance in official declarations, we like to describe it as the most effective military Alliance in history. But we have to recognise that, until now, it has also been quite modest in terms of architecture. NATO has been a particularly discreet guest of this city, occupying the same modest buildings since it set up shop in our country in 1967.Modesty, however, does not exclude importance. For several generations of Europeans, during the last decades the buildings on the other side of the boulevard, with the sculpture of the wind rose, NATO’s symbol, and the circle of the Allies’ flags have symbolised their aspiration to stability, security and freedom.These old buildings have witnessed 40 years of Western history—a history of solidarity and progress that we wrote together. A history marked by serious upheaval, but also by a strong continuity. Behind the words of our new Strategic Concept that we adopted at the Lisbon Summit, one might hear echoes of the Harmel Doctrine, which in 1967 already sought to prepare the ground for a coherent doctrine based on deterrence and dialogue, including the aim of a balanced reduction of forces.The new building will be a visible proof of NATO’s success while also reflecting the new reality of an Alliance that now counts 28 members instead of the 15 from 1967. The new headquarters will allow us to properly accommodate new Allies, and the ever more numerous partners who wish to strengthen their ties with NATO.As a symbol of our willingness to welcome new Allies in a reunited Europe that is at peace, these new buildings also send a strong message on the importance that European and North American countries keep attaching to NATO as the main forum for transatlantic dialogue and decision-making. These new buildings are a powerful reaffirmation of the close and enduring ties that connect both shores of the Atlantic—ties that are based on common interests and values. For whoever might still be in doubt, they will be tangible proof that, 20 years after the end of the cold war, NATO maintains its purpose and relevance.Une longue période de travaux est devant nous, sur ce chantier proprement dit et dans ses environs immédiats.  Grâce à la coopération des autorités régionales et locales, un projet global a vu le jour réaménageant l’ensemble du boulevard et améliorant l’offre de transports en commun.  Je tiens donc à conclure en rendant un hommage sincère à tous ceux qui, dans les années à venir, s’attelleront à cet ouvrage, ou, comme les riverains, en accepteront les inconvénients passagers.  Notre fierté collective sera d’avoir apporté notre pierre à la construction d’un édifice appelé à héberger une alliance garante de paix et de sécurité.