48th Munich Security Conference

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Defense Secretary Thomas de Maizière and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the 2012 conference

The 48th Munich Security Conference took place from February 3rd to 5th, 2012.

Opening speech

In his opening speech, Federal Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière spoke out in favor of a sober debate on Germany's role in the world. Furthermore, de Maizière confirmed the planned end of the German mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 and called for closer military cooperation between the European states against the background of a strategic realignment of the USA towards the Pacific.

Role of NATO and China

During the conference, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta jointly confronted concerns about a possible loss of importance for transatlantic cooperation . While Clinton described Europe as "the United States' most important partner", Panetta reiterated the US military commitment in Europe: "Our military presence in Europe will be greater than in any other region of the world." During a panel discussion on the effects of the growing Asia's geostrategic importance, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd pointed out that in the foreseeable future, China, for the first time in 500 years, would be a non-Western country becoming the economically most important nation.

US Senator John McCain (right), Zhang Zhijun, Chinese Deputy Secretary of State, and Henry Kissinger during the 48th MSC

The Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun described the rise of Asia as a “blessing” for the world and described his country's increase in power as a new international equilibrium. Zhijun called China a country striving for "harmony". The American Senator John McCain contradicted this and referred to Chinese territorial conflicts and human rights violations. McCain reiterated his prediction that the Arab Spring would reach China during the discussion .

Missile shield

In the dispute between Russia and NATO over missile defense in Europe, no rapprochement could be achieved during the conference. While US Secretary of State Clinton and US Secretary of Defense Panetta refused to accommodate Russian demands for a say, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned against NATO going it alone, which could lead to a “global catastrophe”. The international commission Euro-Atlantic Security Initiative (EASI) took a completely different approach , whose members Wolfgang Ischinger , Igor Ivanov and Sam Nunn presented a report on improving relations between Russia and the West during the conference. This also included plans for missile defense, which provided for close technical cooperation between NATO and Russia in air surveillance, without removing the responsibility for launching enemy missiles.

Nuclear disarmament

Clinton and Lavrov after exchanging START certificates

Nunn, also managing director of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , warned of the increasing spread of weapons-grade fissile material and the resulting risk of nuclear terrorism, should the number of states with nuclear weapons continue to rise. Richard Burt , Malcolm Rifkind and Viktor Esin from the Global Zero Initiative called at the security conference for a significant reduction in the number of nuclear warheads in the USA and Russia and for the withdrawal of all tactical nuclear weapons from Europe. During the conference, Clinton and Lavrov exchanged the instruments of ratification for the New START agreement .

Syria

The Yemeni journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman (2012)

After a UN Security Council's Syria resolution had failed immediately due to the veto of Russia and China, Western politicians tried in vain during the conference to persuade Russia to agree. The Yemeni journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman sharply criticized the veto of Russia and China at the conference. She said: "These two countries support the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad." Karman called on the conference participants to expel Syrian ambassadors from their countries.

Global warming

Kumi Naidoo , Director of Greenpeace , at the 48th MSC

With Kumi Naidoo , a representative from Greenpeace took part in the event for the first time. In his speech, the international director of the environmental organization warned the conference participants urgently about the consequences of climate change and expressed his hope that it would "bring humanity to reason".

Euro crisis

In connection with the euro crisis , Deutsche Bank boss Josef Ackermann warned urgently against the failure of the euro should Greece become insolvent.

Cybersecurity

In the course of a discussion on cybersecurity, the Russian computer expert Yevgeny Kaspersky warned of armed conflicts in global data networks and attacks by cyber terrorists and urged that cyber weapons be banned. The EU commissioner responsible for internet security Neelie Kroes called for international action against cybercrime.

Web links

Commons : 48th Munich Security Conference  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The focus is on Germany's role in Europe. focus.de, February 3, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  2. ^ De Maizière calls for a sober debate. bmvg.de, February 3, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  3. ↑ De Maizière: It remains with the Afghanistan withdrawal at the end of 2014. faz.net, February 3, 2012, accessed on October 1, 2013 .
  4. ↑ a b De Maizière calls for more Europe in defense policy. handelsblatt.com, February 3, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  5. ↑ a b c d We can stay friends. faz.net, February 5, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  6. ↑ Clinton allies Europe’s security concerns. handelsblatt.com, February 4, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  7. ↑ Asia's rise signals more equilibrium. german.china.org.cn, February 6, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  8. ↑ The Syria crisis reveals old conflicts. badische-zeitung.de, February 5, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  9. ↑ McCain: "Arab Spring Comes to China". derstandard.at, February 4, 2012, accessed October 1, 2013 .
  10. ^ Security Conference: Dispute over NATO missile defense. zeit.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 4, 2013 .
  11. ^ Security Conference: Dispute over NATO missile defense. focus.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 4, 2013 .
  12. ^ Wolfgang Ischinger, Igor Ivanov and Sam Nunn: Euro-Atlantic Goals. nytimes.com, January 31, 2012, accessed October 4, 2013 .
  13. ↑ a b c Nuclear weapons: How the missile shield is supposed to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. spiegel.de, February 5, 2012, accessed October 4, 2013 .
  14. ↑ Missile defense dispute: Moscow is skeptical of new advance - "Kommersant". de.rian.ru, February 6, 2012, accessed October 4, 2013 .
  15. ↑ Cold warriors on a course of disarmament. ftd.de, February 5, 2012, archived from the original on February 6, 2012 ; Retrieved October 4, 2013 .
  16. ↑ Veto in the UN Security Council: Russia and China block Syria resolution. spiegel.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 7, 2013 .
  17. ↑ a b Russia blocks Syria resolution. zeit.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 7, 2013 .
  18. ↑ Security conference in Munich: Russia is playing poker over the Syria resolution. spiegel.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 7, 2013 .
  19. ↑ Russia thinks of Russia. sueddeutsche.de, February 6, 2012, accessed October 7, 2013 .
  20. ↑ Arab world is angry with Russia and China. handelsblatt.com, February 5, 2012, accessed October 7, 2013 .
  21. ^ "License to kill for Assad's regime". sueddeutsche.de, February 5, 2012, accessed on October 7, 2013 .
  22. ^ Speech by Kumi at the security conference in Munich. (No longer available online.) Greenpeace.de, February 3, 2013, archived from the original on October 12, 2013 ; Retrieved October 11, 2013 .
  23. ↑ Climate change should "bring mankind to reason". (No longer available online.) Epd.de, February 5, 2013, archived from the original on October 12, 2013 ; Retrieved October 11, 2013 .
  24. ↑ "It's not just about Greece". Ackermann warns of the failure of the euro zone. focus.de, February 4, 2012, accessed October 15, 2013 .
  25. ↑ Internet is becoming the battlefield of the 21st century. n24.de, February 5, 2012, accessed October 16, 2013 .
  26. ↑ Kaspersky warns of cyber war. rp-online.de, February 5, 2012, accessed on October 16, 2013 .