News : 46th Munich Security Conference puts focus on action

Germany News: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle deilvers the keynote speech at the Munich security conference

46th Munich Security Conference puts focus on action

February 08, 2010

A large number of high-ranking heads of state and government, ministers and heads of international organisations from all over the world attended the 46th Munich Security Conference from 05 to 07 February 2010.

In his keynote speech, German Deputy Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle stressed the importance of global responsibility in tackling problems that become more universal in today’s globalised world with a rapidly shifting balance in international politics.

“A clear compass and commonly agreed and binding rules are therefore more necessary than ever for a far sighted foreign and security policy” he said. “With emerging powers such as India, Brazil or South Africa, we are linked by common interests and challenges, from which we have to forge stable relationships”, he added.

The slogan of this year's 46th Munich Security Conference "No more excuses!" was announced by conference Chairman, Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, was among the speakers. In addition, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO, China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov as well as prominent representatives of the economy also participated at the event.

Afghanistan and disarmament were key issues

In addition to discussing the traditional topic of transatlantic and European security architecture the conference focused on the security and stability in Afghanistan and disarmament.

Westerwelle also reiterated the role of the UN in international policies such as Afghanistan “Germany is participating in the stabilisation of Afghanistan and many other peace missions on the basis of a UN mandate. The UN can only be as strong as its member states allow it to be. For us, however, it provides an essential, overarching framework for international security. Germany remains just as committed to the ideals of the UN as it does to providing concrete support in mastering the challenges named by the Secretary-General”.

Speaking about disarmament, Westerwelle said “Today the uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear weapons is probably the most serious threat to our security. The signing of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in the 1960s was an act that aimed at more than just codifying the status quo. Today it still contains a reciprocal promise: the commitment to non-proliferation, matched by the nuclear powers’ commitment to disarmament. One commitment aims to prevent the proliferation of the capability to produce nuclear weapons, the other aims to reduce existing arsenals of these weapons”.

“Disarmament is not an unrealistic dream; in the context of globalisation it is a necessity”, Westerwelle went on to say. “Many people may regard the vision of a world without nuclear weapons as naïve. But it is insistence on the status quo and overlooking the new risks that it produces that is irresponsible – not disarmament. Of course disarmament will not happen overnight, but why shouldn’t it be possible?

I was born in 1961. At that time, the Wall was being built right through the centre of Berlin and Germany. Some people had long given up all hope of reunification. And yet before I turned 30, the determination of millions of people to achieve freedom brought the Wall tumbling down. Visions are not policy, but it is impossible to shape policy without vision.

We find ourselves at the start of a new decade. The German Government will do all it can to ensure that it becomes a decade of disarmament.”