DanishU.S. Relations: Meeting Today's Global Challenges

1
Danish-U.S. Relations Meeting Today's Global
Challenges

• Lecture by Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen on a
  visit to Harvard University, John F. Kennedy
  School of Governance, May 8, 2007.

2
BASIC FACTS

• Small state
• 5,5 mio.
• European democracy
• Highly dependent on actions and decisions taken
  by others
• True believer in multilateral frameworks
• Favor close transatlantic relations

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NEW CONTEXT NEW OPPORTUNITIES

• Cold War
• Security consumer
• Bilateral international structure (USSR and USA)
• Reacting to major events determined by
  superpowers
• After Cold War
• Security producer
• Space open for Danish activism
• Acting on behalf of international stability
• E.g. EU/NATO enlargement, international
  engagement (Afghanistan, Iraq etc.)
• Engagement increasingly global

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KEY THREATS

• 9/11 The war of ideas
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Nuclear proliferation (Iran, North Korea)
• Failed states
• The Middle East (Iran, Iraq, Israel-Palestine,
  Lebanon)

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AND NEW TYPES OF CHALLENGES

• Climate change, global warming
• Destabilize already fragile governments
• Sea-level rise could scatter refugees
• Glaciers decrease flow of rivers
• Energy consumption
• Energy dependency on Middle East
• Denmark in 1973 99 energy dependent - Denmark
  in 2007 100 energy independent
• Globalization
• Reaction to modernity, e.g. Islamic
  fundamentalism
• New economic competition spurs protectionist
  tendencies

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HOW TO CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES

• International cooperation essential
• Joint law-enforcement, intelligence sharing
• Combination of hard and soft power
• Adapt existing multilateral frameworks and
  structures, new ways of cooperating
• Reform EU, NATO, UN
• Assist other regional organizations (AU, ASEM)
• Ad-hoc cooperation e.g. PSI

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DENMARK-US RELATIONS

• Diplomatic relations since 1791
• NATO member 1949
• Missile defense, Greenland
• Close contacts at highest level
• DK Prime Minister in US 5 times in four years
• Bush in Denmark July 2005, Clinton in July 1997
• US is second largest foreign investor in Denmark
• Defense memorandum (MoU)
• Strong economic ties
• US is Denmarks third biggest export market
• More US investments to Denmark than to India

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EU

• Framework for foreign policy
• Developing fast Maastricht, Amsterdam next?
• Improve ability to speak with one voice (CFSP)
• In security field European Security and Defense
  Policy
• Supplement to NATO (civilian-military
  combination)
• Makes a difference in security terms
• Lack of capabilities (and political will?) to
  perform high-intensity risks
• Bosnia, Macedonia, Georgia, Congo now
  Afghanistan

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The three pillars of EU-cooperation
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
European Economic Community (EEC)
Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
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NATO

• Key to transatlantic cooperation
• More than just an alliance
• Practical cooperation on a daily basis
• Essential forum for political consultation and
  military cooperation
• NATOs future challenges
• Make alliances relevant (Afghanistan, Sudan )
• Global partnership and training
• Capabilities NRF, common projects
• Preparing for 2008, enlargement

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UN

• International peace and stability
• Legitimacy
• All states participate
• Important in countering new threats
• International law against terrorism
• Up to member states to implement necessary
  legislation
• Denmark 2002 anti-terrorist package
• Security Council - key to peace and stability
• Denmark member 2005-2006
• Expansion of the Security Council needed
• UN Human Rights Council
• Established in June 2006
• Denmark a candidate for 2007 elections

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STRONG DANISH COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPMENT

• Denmarks development assistance
• 2.23 billion dollars in 2006 0.8 of GNI
• 5th largest donor country in the world in of
  GNI
• Poverty Reduction the overarching goal
• Focus in 2007 on good governance, womens rights
  and HIV/AIDS
• Human rights, security, refugees and the
  environment key thematic areas
• Increasing focus on Africa
• Out of the top ten recipients eight are African
• Target Africa to receive 2/3 of bilateral
  assistance by 2012
• Largest African recipients Tanzania, Mozambique
  and Uganda

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ADAPTING THE MILITARY

• 2004 defense agreement -
• Main ideas
• No need for traditional territorial defense
• 2000 troops to international missions
• Comprehensive approach
• Military and civilian instruments
• Close cooperation between organizations, NGOs
  etc.
• Missions
• Iraq Denmark in Basra until August 2007
• Afghanistan increase from autumn, focus on
  Helmand
• Kosovo (KFOR)
• Lebanon (UNIFIL)
• Future Africa - Denmark ready to send troops to
  Sudan

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PRIORITIZING

• Where can we make a difference? Denmark will
  focus on
• Afghanistan
• Sudan
• Kosovo
• Lebanon
• EUs future Treaty