www.alfacentar.

org

Godina I Broj 1 Decembar 2008

Newsletter
ALFA MREŽA

Dear colleagues,

You will be reading Newsletter of ALFA NET for support to NATO

membership of Montenegro.
The aim of its creation is widening and strengthening of public debate
regarding future relation of Montenegro and the North-Atlantic Treaty,
provision of information on NATO as a political, economic, scientific,
security and military alliance and informing a wider public, as well
(first of all, civil sector organizations) in Montenegro on planned and
realized activities in this area.
We will be looking forward to possibility to answer or look for an
answer to all your questions and dilemmas about NATO or the Euro-
Atlantic integration of Montenegro.

Sincerely yours,

A.Dedović
Happy holidays
ALPHA Center

The idea on creation of Coalition like this was born during

REACT 2008 in Crkvicko Polje.

During first five days of September, about fifty young people from 12
countries of the region were discussing and exchanging their
knowledge and experiences from area of the regional cooperation,
NATO, security and the Euro-Atlantic integrations. There were among
them nearly twenty participants from all towns of Montenegro.

One of the conclusions from REACT 2008 is that in Montenegro there

have been still no sufficient information on character, mechanisms and
current role of NATO, that citizens still have had no clear details on all
negative and positive implications in Alliance and through that they are
not even aware of big significance that this partnership brings to
Montenegro and its citizens.

Please, visit: http://www.alfacentar.org/reakt.htm

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Aware of role and responsibilities that are undertaken by non-governmental organizations through their work and
engagement, perceiving necessity of better mutual communication and union and having in mind seriousness and
importance of integration of Montenegro into NATO, first of all, because of the Montenegrin generations to come,
six Montenegrin non-governmental organization created “ALFA Net for support to NATO membership of
Montenegro’’.

NGO “Freedom Center”- Tuzi

NGO “Freedom” – Pljevlja
NVO “Mogul” – Ulcinj
NGO “Bijelo Polje Democracy Center” – Bijelo Polje
NGO “Youth Movement for the Euro-Atlantic integrations” – Podgorica
NGO “ALFA Center” – Niksic

In days to come with an intention to contribute to affirmation of the Montenegrin membership in the NATO
ALFA Net” will:

● create conditions for more serious and wider public debate, informing and education of citizens regarding
NATO membership of Montenegro;

● cooperate with the Government of Montenegro, local self-governments, the Parliament, economy subjects,
non-governmental organizations and all subjects that perceive Montenegro as a future member of the Alliance

● realize activities and projects whose aim is a bigger degree of information and over that support of citizens
to the Atlantic integrations.

Each calendar year one NGO will coordinate the net’s work. At foundation meeting the decision was made for
ALFA Center to be the Net Coordinator for 2009.
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From ALFA Net activity area:

“Trebjesa Forum” for young members of the Montenegrin political parties was held on 10th December 2008 in hotel
“Onogost”, in Niksic.

After welcome words of Momcilo Micunovic, the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Niksic, Siri Andersen, the
First Secretary of the Embassy of Kingdom of Norway in Belgrade and Marcus Michelle, a Political Advisor in the
US Embassy in Podgorica, there were introductory lines of Aleksandar Dedovic, Executive Director of Alfa Center
and Boris Raonic, Project Coordinator in NDC. During several-hour discussion, representatives of the young of
SPP, SPC, DPS, LP, PP and SDP had an opportunity to present official attitudes of the parties, as well as their
personal ones on projections and practice of the Montenegrin joining to the Euro-Atlantic integrations.

This is the first time that the young people of different attitudes and opinions are gathered around one table
to discuss on necessity of dialogue on this subject which is important for their future, indeed. The moderator
was Dusica Tomovic, a journalist.

News from the Coordination Team for Implementation of Communication Strategy on the Euro-Atlantic
integrations of Montenegro (taken over from: www.nato-montenegro.org)

A panel-discussion on subject “the Euro-Atlantic perspectives of Montenegro” was held on Wednesday, 26th
November 2008, in Bar. Speakers were: the Minister of Internal Affairs, Jusuf Kalamperovic, the Mayor of Bar,
Zarko Pavicevic, the Ambassador of Great Britain, Kevin Line and Commander-in-Chief of Naval Base of
Montenegro, a captain of battleship, Rajko Bulatovic.
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NATO in acronyms:

NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – Organizacija Sjevernoatlantskog sporazuma osnovana 1949.g.
potpisivanjem Vašingtonskog sporazuma u cilju kolektivne odbrane.

OSCE – Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe – Organizacija za evropsku bezbjednost i
saradnju, osnovana kao Savjetovanje o bezbjednosti i saradnji u Evropi u Helsinkiju 1975.g.

SOFA – Status of Forces Agreement – Sporazum o statusu snaga

UNMIK United Nations Mission in Kosovo – Misija Ujedinjenih naroda na Kosovu osnovana 1999.g. na
osnovu Rezolucije 1244 VS UN

SHAPE – Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe – Vrhovna Komanda savezničkih snaga za Evropu

They say about NATO: Ivana Gardasevic, a student, Niksic:

“Speaking as a citizen, I am very glad that my country started the way of the Euro-Atlantic integrations,
performing intensively a set of reforms in area of defense and security, specifically when we talk on NATO. However, the question raised
is in what degree performed reforms will be implemented in real life, that is to say, if the are going to remain complied with NATO
standards only at paper or we will make an effort indeed and reach a standard. It is very important to realize an importance of belonging to
a big system of collective defense that is based today not only on a bare usage of force and monopoly of the more powerful ones, as felt by
some, but it supports development of democracy, respect of human rights, a civilian surveillance of army and good relations with neighbors
which are, at the same time, criteria that are set for potential candidates. Hence, as a response to those who in their desperate fight for
stating arguments against NATO joining, in Huntington manner: “Rest against West”, ironically claim that we so perfectly safe and
protected will be pulled by NATO membership into endless swirl of conflicts and already mentioned claim will transform into “Rest against
US”, an answer can serve – nor we are big enough to ignore potential threats that brings the global society whose part we are, as well, nor
we are strong enough to rush into isolationism.”
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NATO news:

Last week, NATO published the first edition of an electronic newsletter “NATO Science for Peace (SPS) Program” that will be
edited several times a year. Science for Peace and (SPS) Program supports cooperation between NATO scientists and member
countries of the North-Atlantic Treaty, partner countries and countries of the Mediterranean dialogue and security issues in
area of civilian science, environment and technology. The main aim of SPS newsletter is to inform public on NATO activities
in area of science and security.

FROM THE FIRST EDITION…

50 years of science in NATO

Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Program in December of this year celebrated 50th birthday. Find out how
NATO has been operating in area of science since 1958, and how it is functioning today and how it adapted to new
security challenges. Have a look at presentation on SPS activities in fight against terrorism and other security
challenges such as explosive detection, confrontation to computer terrorism, energy provision and environment
protection. NATO project develops “ecologic” methods for CWA decontaminations. Recently, using SPS project
discoveries, team for NBS Defense and Ecology Research Institute of the Romanian Ministry of Defense has
demonstrated two new techniques for quick and safe decontamination of chemical war substances. This
demonstration has been the last experiment “Photocatalytic Decontamination of Neurotoxin and Vesicant
Compounds” that was created as cooperation of experts from Italy, Romania, Spain and Canada that started in
October 2005.
Creation of community resistant to terrorism: NATO advanced research workshops.

A role of community in provision of more secure environment in responses on terrorist actions is the main focus of
“NATO Advanced Research Workshop” (ARW) that was held in Washington in September of this year. A professor
from University of North Texas and one of the leading experts in that area, David A. McEntire observed: “It is a
general feeling that war against terrorism can be successful only if it includes people out of authorities”.

The newsletter is available on address: http://www.nato.int/science/index.html

Next edition of SPS newsletter will be published in spring 2009.

(taken over from: www.opsa.hr )