Lord Robertson Quotes
If we get the capabilities, NATO, along with the European Union, can do amazing things.
Robertson, George. Interview. CNN, Cable News Network, Dec. 2003. Transcript.
The reality of course was that NATO was created primarily to prevent Russia from dominating Europe. Baker could not officially state that. There are many experts who believe that if Russia had been allowed to join NATO after the breakup of the Soviet Union, relations with Russia may have been better. However, the NATO charter gives each member nation a veto over activities and there was little trust in Russia by most of the NATO members.
He was referring to NATO in Post WWII Europe.
The speech was the 50th Anniversary of the Speech that Secretary of State Byrne had given there exactly 50 years ago. It was referred to as the “Speech of Hope” and announced the Marshall Plan.
One major problem at the time was that the Soviet Union was supporting and instigating revolutions in many parts of the world. When most nations of the UN wanted to provide peace keeping troops to quell the conflict, the Russians would veto and block the effort, Vandenberg wanted the UN to change the rules regarding the veto. The original right of veto for the major nations was originally included at the insistence of the United States and many Americans did not want to give it up or have any exceptions lest there be more. The Russians at that time also did not want to give up any of their veto powers. Another method that Vandenberg wanted to solve the Russian peacekeeping blockage problem was for America to engage in more collective security pacts so that action could be taken without UN Security Council unanimity by going around the UN.
With Germany’s WWII history of military aggression, even over 60 years later, that country was very cautious about any use of military force and unilateral force was out of the question.
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, GCMG, PC, FRSA, FRSE, is a British politician of the Labour Party who served as the 10th Secretary General of NATO from 1999 to 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana. He served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1997 to 1999, before becoming a life peer being created Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, of Islay in Argyll and Bute, on 24 August 1999.
