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NATO Leaders at RUSI
Since Lord Ismay, the first Secretary General, lectured here in 1954, many NATO leaders have chosen to speak at RUSI or to write in the pages of its flagship publication, the RUSI Journal. Here we feature a selection of speeches by senior NATO officials from across the six decades of the Alliance’s existence.
1954: Lord Ismay, NATO's First Secretary General
Lord Ismay, the first NATO Secretary General, spoke at RUSI on the 5 November 1954. In a piece of careful and thorough public diplomacy, he explains the context of NATO’s creation, its function and organisational structure.
This early speech, setting out the Cold War conception of the Alliance, is a useful counterpoint to contemporary NATO discussions on transformation.
NATO: What it is and how it works >
1977: NATO's Longest Serving Secretary General
Dr. Joseph Luns, NATO Secretary General from 1971 until 1984, here sets out a speculative vision of the challenges facing the Alliance during the 70s.
He discusses the delicate political balance between ensuring social welfare and maintaining appropriate military spending. Whilst recognising the necessity for freedom and prosperity at home, Luns warns of an increasingly powerful Warsaw Pact.
1987: Lord Carrington, Secretary General Reflects Conventional Wisdom about the Future of the Cold War
Lord Carrington, here speaking as Secretary General in 1985, imagines how NATO might change in the fifteen years ahead.
He foresees a year 2000 in which NATO and the Soviet Union continue to compete against one another.
Lord Carrington warns of the dangers of incautious disarmament and the tendency to underestimate Soviet power.
NATO and the Warsaw Pact: Future Relationships and Strategies >
1999: Javier Solana, Secretary General during NATO's First Post-Cold War Intervention
Javier Solana, Secretary General from 1995 until 1999, gave the opening address at RUSI’s ‘NATO at 50’ Conference.
Solana discusses moving beyond the Cold War security agenda that informed NATO policy for forty years.
NATO’s role now, he argues, is to help create and integrate a widened Europe, establish a new relationship with Russia and keep America engaged and involved.
NATO at 50: Address by the Secretary-General, Dr Javier Solana >
2002-2003: Lord Robertson, Secretary General in an Age of Terror
Lord Robertson was Secretary General of NATO from 1999 until 2003. It was under his leadership that NATO first invoked Article V after the attacks in the United States after 9/11. He spoke at RUSI on several occasions during his incumbency.
In this first speech, he argues that the importance of NATO should be a matter of political consensus.
Further, that political conviction should be matched by responsible levels of defence spending. It will take a visible proof of commitment, he warns, to keep the transatlantic relationship strong and significant.
Lord Robertson also spoke at RUSI on the role of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue. He argues that the security of our Mediterranean neighbours matters for NATO. Concerns about political instability, terrorism and energy security tie NATO interests to the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean Dialogue should, he argues, evolve into a more substantial programme of cooperation.
NATO and the Mediterranean - Moving from Dialogue Towards Partnership >
NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson gave a follow-up speech on this subject at a Royal United Services Institute Conference on 'NATO & Mediterranean Security: Practical Steps towards Partnership'. Lord Robertson looks back at the changes and challenges NATO faced in 2003. Measuring the progress already made, he argues for closer and more responsive cooperation with the countries of the Mediterranean Dialogue.
NATO & Mediterranean Security: Practical Steps towards Partnership >
In a valedictory speech, Lord Robertson considers the achievements of NATO in the years following 9/11. He speaks of NATO’s continued relevance and the successful transformation it has effected in response to a new security environment.
2004- : Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Current Secretary General
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the current NATO Secretary General, spoke at RUSI in 2004 in the run up to the Istanbul Summit.
In a speech that prompted an important RUSI research project, the Secretary General spoke about generating the forces needed to conduct the Alliance’s current and future operations. Demand for NATO forces is likely to increase, not decrease, in the future.
NATO's Istanbul Summit - New Missions, New Means >
Ahead of a crucial Defence Ministerial in London, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer spoke at RUSI again on 18 September 2008 and gave a wide-ranging exposition on the key issues facing the transatlantic alliance. He addresses concerns in the aftermath of the Russia-Georgia conflict and looks closely at the situation in Afghanistan.
Text, audio and video excerpts available >
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