NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference following today’s (4 September 2020) North Atlantic Council meeting on the assassination attempt on Alexey Navalny.
Transcript
Good afternoon. The North Atlantic Council has just met to address the appalling assassination attempt on Alexey Navalny. Germany briefed the allies on the findings of the special laboratory. There is proof beyond doubt that Mr. Navalny was poisoned by using military nerve. Ah, great agent from the Nova Choke Group. The use of such a weapon is horrific. All allies today were united in condemning this attack. Any use of chemical weapons shows the total disrespect for human lives on is an unacceptable breach of international norms and rules. NATO allies agree that Russia now has serious questions It must answer. The Russian government must fully cooperate with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on an impartial international investigation. Those responsible for this attack must be held accountable and brought to justice. We also call on Russia to provide complete disclosure off the Nova choke program to the OPCW. Time and again, we have seen opposition leaders and critics of the Russian regime attacked on the lives threatened. Some have even being killed. So this is not just attack on an individual but on fundamental democratic rights. On it is a serious breach of international law which demands an international response. We wish, Mr. Navalny a full on speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with him on his family on allies will continue consultations and consider the implications off this incident without them ready to take your questions. Onda, For the first question, we will go to Teri Schultz from Deutsche Avella. Hello, Mr. Secretary General, can you hear me? Yes, I got okay. I can’t hear you back, but I’m going to go ahead and ask. You might get off easier than usual on this. My question is less time. There was the allegation that Russia that that at least Russian nationals used Nova Chuck, albeit on NATO territory. Um, seven Russian diplomats were expelled from the NATO mission. Yet it appears that if in fact, Russia is again responsible, that is not a deterrence. So what more can you do to make the perpetrators understand that this will not be allowed? And why, as I’m being asked on my Twitter feed quite a lot, Why does NATO believe that it would have a mandate to act in this case for an attack that was not on NATO territory? Thank you. Because this is a violation off international law on international norms. It’s a use of chemical of weapon. It’s a use over a chemical nerve agent which is violating the prohibition off any use over chemical weapons and that matters for NATO is undermining the rules and norms. We have to build a peaceful, unstable societies, societies on Onda. It matters also because NATO is based on some fundamental values democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty. Onda. When we see that the lead opposition politician in Russia is attacked, eyes tried. Uh, there’s an assassination attack against him. Off course. It matters for everyone that believes in the rule of law, democracy, individual liberty as we do in NATO. That’s the reason why we so strongly condemn the attack because it is an attack on individual but is also an attack on fundamental democratic rights. NATO’s voice matters. We represent close to one billion people 50% of the world. So, uh, GDP sort matters with NATO s so clearly calmed them theater AC and the use off chemical, a chemical nerve agent. We will continue to consult among allies we call it or shall too to fully cooperate with our on impartial international investigation. because it is extremely important. Those who are responsible are held accountable. When we see this kind of horrendous use off a prohibited illegal, uh, weapon. Andi. Now we move to an scar. Has from D P. A. Okay, um, in in reaction off the poisoning off. Russian ex by sadhus Crippa Nature Withdraw the equitation off seventh staff at the Russian mission to NATO. Would this be a possible reaction if there’s no will from the Russian side to do, um, a transparent investigation in the case off Navalny. And can you please tell me how many Russians still have a NATO accreditation? As members off the Russian nation toe the NATO? Thank you. There are parallels because we see that Ah, nerve agent chemical nerve agent has been used to gain coming from the same group over off nerve agent as, ah, the Nova chalk that was used in Salt Spirit At the same time, there are differences. This is ah, Russian citizens that was attacked in Russia. Now he’s in Germany on Guy would like to commend Germany for the actions they have taken the care that provided for election Navalny on the on the principled onder on very strong stand they had on this issue. Allies are now consulting. We will continue to consult. Were also, of course, from salting with older organizations on. Do we strongly believe that this is blatant violation of international law? So it requires an international response. But I will not now speculate about exactly what kind of national response. Uh, we we still have Russian diplomats accredited to NATO. Um, I’m not able to give you the exact number now, but we will be able to convey that to you later on. Okay. And for the next question, we will move to Lorne Cook from Associated Press effort. Seems to be saying that this deconfliction mechanism is not starting. Do you believe that it will still go ahead on? Been in what ways? Do you think this might help calm things down between Greece and Turkey or stop the kind of confrontations that we’re seeing? Thank you. I will answer that question in the moment, but let me just, uh, something to my previous answer on the sides of the Russian delegation. Ah, full loving a decision by the North Atlantic and Council in 2019 After the skip all case, the current maximum size of the Russian mission to NATO is 20 on this was reduced from 30 as we decided back in 2018 then on the, um on the situation in the eastern Mediterranean. So following my discussions with both uh, Greek Onda Turkish leaders, the two allies have met older day for technical talks here at NATO. The aim of these talks is to establish mechanisms for military ah de confliction to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents in the eastern Mediterranean. No agreement on the mechanism has Bean reached yet These are technical talks rather than negotiations on the underlying disputes between Greece and Turkey. On as such, they are meant to complement, not replace, the efforts by led by Germany for political media meditation, a mediation towards the escalation. Greece and Turkey are valued allies and NATO is an important platform for consultations on all the issues that affect our shared security. So what to speak about our or his technical talks to try to establish ah mechanisms for the confliction? Okay, we will try for one more question from Thomas Kleczka from Faz Thomas, Can you hear us? I can hear you. Thank you. A secretary General, I have a follow up question to the previous one from lawn. Um my understanding is that for these technical court talks, the two parties are not required to withdraw their military vessels from the disputed areas. It’s just about deconflicting them. Now Greece is telling Greek dick diplomats are saying that they still, um uh, ask for the precondition off any talks their Turkish ships may be removed. Can you please clarify this whether you’ve got a clear commitment from Greece, that they will proceed even when Turkish ships are still in the disputed areas? That’s the first part of the question. And the second is when and at which level where these talks be held at NATO. Thank you. Well, these talks have already started. They have all the Met and I meet at military level. These are technical talks. I think that it is important to distinguish thes technical military talks from the negotiations. That German is trying to initiate and create a framework for the German efforts. And I discussed is also with the transfer Merkel last week in Berlin. They are aiming at establishing negotiations addressing the underlying problem on to de escalate on. That is about addressing the underlying problem over disagreement between two allies on the limitation lines extension over exclusive economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean. That’s one issue that’s addressed by Germany, which are now conducting a mediation efforts to try to get those talks upon running NATO’s not article involved in those efforts. I support to the efforts. But this this is these efforts are led by by Germany. Ah, they arrested underlying problem What NATO is doing what I am trying to do is not address the underlying problem about to de conflict on to try to the develop enhance mechanisms for deconfliction a strong as so we have so many ships in the eastern Mediterranean. We believe that there is a need to have technical talks on how to develop mechanisms. Enhanced mechanisms for the confliction on no agreement has been reached yet, but the talks have started. That is all we have time for today. I’d like to thank everybody for joining us and I apologize once again for the technical issues. We had a prospect of the sector general for final words. Thank you so much. Under thank you for joining me today and stay safe all over and hope that in the future we can meet physically at the normal press conference. So having last weekend, thank you.