UK congratulates Slovenia on the 10th anniversary of its NATO membership
Charge d'Affaires Jamie Hilton congratulates Slovenia on the 10th anniversary of its accession to NATO in 2004.
Marking the occasion Mr Hilton said:
It is my great pleasure to congratulate the people of Slovenia on the 10th anniversary of Slovenia’s membership in NATO.
Slovenia and Britain, allies in the WW2, now continue to spread the core values of peace, stability and democracy as part of the Alliance which remains a source of stability in an unpredictable world. Terrorism, nuclear proliferation, failing states, resource depletion, the security consequences of a changing climate – all have a global dimension today. In such a globalised society we cannot assume that bad things will happen to someone else and we need to be prepared for all eventualities.
Britain and Slovenia, like so many European countries recovering from recession, are having to calibrate what is the best security response when under severe fiscal constraints. In this age of austerity, collective defence – educating, training, procuring, operating with other nations – is the most resource-efficient, practical response. And in Autumn 2014 the UK will be hosting the NATO Summit to underline both our own and our Allies’ commitment to our collective security. Slovenia, with its significant contribution to NATO operations, including in the Western Balkans and Afghanistan, will rightfully have a place there. We are looking forward to continue working alongside Slovenia in bringing an end to today’s conflicts and preventing tomorrow’s.