EAPC Security Forum 2005

In December 2003 NATO and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) decided to institute the EAPC Security Forum as a new medium for ministerial meetings in the Partnership.

The EAPC Security Forum is an informal ministerial meeting to be held every year as part of cooperation in EAPC and the Partnership for Peace (PfP) with the participation of other actors in the security policy area. One purpose of the EAPC Security Forum is to provide an opportunity for in-depth discussion in a wider circle of important security policy issues linked to EAPC/PfP.

Following a decision by NATO in September 2004, Sweden was chosen to host the inaugural EAPC Security Forum. The meeting was held in Åre on 24-25 May. It consisted of an informal meeting of foreign ministers on 24 May and a broader meeting of the Security Forum on 25 May.

The informal foreign ministers meeting was set up as a working dinner. The subject for discussion during the dinner was current challenges in the field of crisis management. International crisis management was one of the main issues throughout the entire meeting.

The portion of the Security Forum open to all members of the national delegations began on 25 May. The theme for the day was "Managing Security - Our Common Challenge". The days events included an opening plenary session, four panel discussions running in parallel with one another and a concluding lunch. Issues such as unresolved European conflicts and cooperation between international organisations, in the Balkans and elsewhere, was discussed. The media was able to follow most of the meeting.

General information about the EAPC and PfP is available in the right-hand column.