Report

 

INTRODUCTION

The Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association has the honour to present its report on its participation in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s (NATO PA) 60th Annual Session in The Hague, Netherlands, from November 21 to 24, 2014. The delegation was led by Association Chair Mrs. Cheryl Gallant, M.P., and included from the Senate the Hon. Raynell Andreychuk, the Hon. David Wells, the Hon. Jane Cordy, the Hon Joseph Day, and from the House of Commons Mr. Jack Harris, and Ms. Élaine Michaud.

The 60th Annual Session was hosted by the Dutch parliament and chaired by Parliamentary Assembly President, Mr. Hugh Bayley, Member of Parliament from the United Kingdom. More than 300 parliamentarians from NATO member countries, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia participated in the session.

THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is an inter-parliamentary organization of legislators from the national parliaments of member countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as 14 associate members. It is completely independent of the official NATO structure.[1] As the Assembly’s website notes, “Its principal objective is to foster mutual understanding among Alliance parliamentarians of the key security and defence challenges facing the transatlantic partnership.”[2]

Canadian parliamentarians draw significant benefit from their participation in NATO PA events. In addition to gaining a better understanding of strategic issues facing the Alliance and Canada, they are presented with the opportunity to promote Canadian interests and values in the course of discussions in the Assembly, its committees and during informal meetings with their counterparts from NATO member and non-member states.

COMMITTEE MEETING SUMMARIES

NATO PA Committees met simultaneously for two days. During these meetings, Committees debated reports and resolutions drafted by their respective Rapporteurs. These reports and resolutions were open for final amendments before being put to a vote in their respective Committees. In addition, these meetings were an opportunity for delegates to hear from academic experts as well as senior military and government officials from NATO member and partner states, from NATO headquarters, the EU and from the private sector on issues of interest to the Alliance.

A summary of each of the committee and sub-committee meetings is available on the NATO PA website. See NATO PA, “Committee Meeting Summaries"

GEORGIA UPDATE

·         Russia plans to occupy Truso Gorge using the military road expanding the boundary of occupied region around South Ossetia.

·         Russia is building a road in the southeast of Georgia from Dagestan through Georgian wine region, on the pretext of facilitating trade, making the distance to Tbilisi.

·         80% of Georgians support NATO and EU integration.

ECONOMICS AND SECURITY – COLLECTIVE, ENERGY FUTURE

·         Black coal use has grown more in the last 10 years than renewables and natural gas. USA is on a better pathway to Kyoto.

·         Myth: We must transition to renewables because oil reserves are finite. (Other forms of energy will outpace oil, so oil won't "run out".)

·         Myth: Electric cars will be the future.

·         While they'll be used in cities, but when one looks at the battery lifetimes versus diesel that will travel 60 km on 1 litre.

·         Myth: Shale gas/oil fracking is new and high risk. It's been done a million times.

·         Myth: If shale gas is found in Europe the dependence on traditional oil will decline.

·         A successful European energy policy is not possible as long as dependence on foreign oil exists under the current geopolitical situation with Russia.

·         Main power plants are wind energy $1B - an unwise way of generating energy because they need subsidies and manufacturing moves to North America. All other energy generators decrease in size while windmills get bigger.

·         Breakthrough innovations and tectonic shifts: nuclear waste used as nuclear energy.

·         More efficient solar batteries; moving from black coal to brown coal; energy-efficient greenhouses in kitchen; new generation  shares vehicles.

·         We have a hybrid nuclear future: Fossil and Fissile and renewables.

·         The only way young unemployed people are going to find jobs is if we generate cheap energy. Young will revolt as already being seen in Italy.

·         Arctic Waters warming (1922 article). We cannot stop climate change. We can adapt.

·         The biggest threat to the world is Islamic Jihadists.

·         Qatar is funding protests against energy projects in Europe.

THE CURRENT STATE OF THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF WORSENING POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE WEST

Russia:

·         Hidden processes

·         Rent extracted from energy sector

Lessons:

·         Define achievable objectives and what conditions must be met before they are lifted.

·         Putin rose with the rise in the price of oil (rent extraction), but in 2008 a stabilization fund was in place, so less economic downturn.

·         Russian 'deniable' Intervention in Ukraine: how and why Russia broke the rules.

·         Since not all countries are imposing sanctions, trade has diverted elsewhere.

·         Covert acquisition of Technology and Finance:

§  Nuclear reactors for Iran

·         Impacts of Sanctions on Ukraine Crisis:

§  Currency decrease

·         Russia's Strategy 2020

Conclusions:

·         Weakening of NATO 1992-2013 led to Russian actions

·         Civil dimensions of Security Committee:

·         EU-Russia Relations - Two Different Worlds

·         Diverse Attitudes towards Russia:

1)    Trojan Horses: Cypress, Greece

2)    Strategic Partners: France Germany

3)    Friendly pragmatists:  Austria, Bulgaria

4)    Frosty pragmatists: Netherlands, UK Lithuania

5)    New Cold Warriors: Lithuania, Poland

·         Frozen Conflicts: Transinista, Abkhazia/South Ossetia

·         Nagorno Karabakh

·         EU's geo-economic strategic culture outmaneuvered by Russia's geopolitical resolve.

·         EU has de facto taken a role of guarantor of Ukraine against a regional rival, but will EU stand up for Ukraine's right to choose its own alliances?

·         EU Defence Policy left to US (and NATO)

·         Be comprehensive in response to 'ambiguous' warfare tactics by:

§  Strengthening conventional military deterrence

§  Make Eastern European societies resilient against Russian propaganda and infiltration

§  Targeted sanctions at key Russian persons and sectors (and be willing to pay the economic price)

§  Diversification of energy resources to decrease energy dependence from Russia

§  Hit Putin in his international status, but keep talking at the same time.

NETHERLANDS DEFENCE INDUSTRY STRATEGY AND ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY

·         Provide air forces with materiel and info they need to be able to perform the tasks given to them.

·         Cooperate with defence industry strategy so that there is synergy and both benefit.

·         Strategy developed to bring together a wide range of instruments.

·         Done so to provide transparency and a level playing field for all participants.

·         Ultimate goal is to maintain national expertise.

·         Triple Helix Model: co-op between government, defence and security related industry and research (knowledge institutions). Exchange of views, knowledge, skills. Interdependence. Stay a step ahead of the threats especially asymmetric who are not bound by international law.

·         The Triple Helix can also be applied internationally amongst other governments and educational institutions.

·         Minister of National Defence has a specific science and tech strategy investments. Educational institutions provide the teaching based on Triple Helix

·         Indicates what the future human resource needs are.

·         Defence holds competition and games amongst SMEs.

·         The principle of Materiel. In the most cost effective means so procurement is “Off the shelf" where possible. E.g. the Recent ship + boxer vehicle for the army.

·         When a knowledge gap occurs, the government works with industry to fund the required training.

·         For the Joint Strike Fighter F35 a Dutch Company was selected to build a part.

·         Increased regulations and procurement law and contracting rules.

·         Rules and Practices:

·         Choose on a Case by case basis whether off the shelf or a development, but also look for capabilities amongst NATO partners.

·         All defence contracts tenders are published for EU countries to compete for. Almost all contracts have been awarded to Dutch companies. SMEs find it difficult to compete internationally, so government helps them. Immediate needs and extremely sensitive requirements are not tendered internationally.

·         New tech and defence technology requires government involvement.

·         Within the European contract they need to integrated, competitive tech base. Cross border access is required

·         Dilemma is to have a truly open system while supporting national institutions.

·         QandA: Will Netherlands uphold EU Directive 81? Yes, it was put into Dutch Law in 2013.

·         Why were Israeli and predators bought instead of EU? 3rd version Of Drone for 2025 from EU?

·         There was an urgent capability gap with respect to drones which is why non-EU drones were purchased by Netherlands.

·         Multinational maritime products must be built. In different countries simultaneously or the shipbuilding Industry will die when a single project is complete.

·         Shrinking of defence budgets means fewer people are sharing knowledge.

·         International program can replace buying off the shelf (F35), also the Mine-hunting vessels.

·         Too much focus is put on the Initial kit purchase. More emphasis must be put on value of life cycle service contracts.

CHEMICAL DISARMAMENT IN A TECHNOLOGICALLY EVOLVING WORLD

·         Declarations of chemical weapons for destruction and related facilities then Verification

·         What is monitored?

·         Warfare Agents - Schedule 1

·         Chemical weapons precursors and breakdown of products - Schedule 2

·         Industrial "dual use" Chemicals - Schedule 3

·         Other Chemical producing Facilities

·         Some drugs on the market for e.g. Alzheimers to bridge neural function also contain components that can be misused as nerve agents.

·         Genome medicine can also be misused.

·         Chemistry Influences biology and can be exploited as a warfare agent.

·         Chemistry is a Science of Change

·         Production Technology: Production by Synthesis?

·         It takes an expert to distinguish a fermenter from a reactor.

·         Neutralizing agents may work in a lab under set conditions, but not necessarily in the field.

·         When NATO discussed the use of nuclear deterrence, Putin took it as a transmission of the message that NATO was adopting a nuclear posture.

·         When Sachshivili stood in front of the Georgian flag and made a televised speech using perfect English Putin declared that he needed to have the ability to send out his messages effectively. Russia now uses all media platforms including social media in a variety of languages to transmit his messages.

·         Sanctions are affecting a few in Moscow, but will not be enough to force Russians out of Crimea which is a Strategic military base.

·         If Mistrals are not delivered Putin will sue, get a pile of money and build its own military industrial complex so they'll be immune to sanctions. Book "First Person" published in 2000.

·         It will be a difficult winter in Ukraine and will demonstrate that the government is not capable of meeting the public's needs.

·         "NATO is our best hope for peace."

CONCLUSION

The NATO PA provides Canadian parliamentarians with an opportunity to learn about the broader strategic issues facing the Alliance, which have an impact on Canada’s national security and defence. It also gives them an attentive international forum in which to promote Canadian interests and values in the course of discussions and debates about future Alliance policy and strategy. As this report indicates, the 2014 Annual Session was no exception, offering Canadian delegates many opportunities to shape the outcome of discussions, convey a Canadian perspective on key issues of concern, and gain a better understanding of strategic issues facing Canada, the Alliance and Canada’s partner countries.

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] See NATO PA, “About the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.”

[2] Ibid.