Informing public opinion on NATO – guidelines, ways and means, experiences Erik Baktai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Security Policy Department

2 Points of Departure n What is the purpose of information? n What are the current views on NATO? n Who to address? n What ways and means to rely on? n The Hungarian experience? n To what extent can the Hungarian experience be relied on?

3 The purpose: providing objective, factual and authentic information The purpose: providing objective, factual and authentic information n Authentic information is based on facts. n Facts are the best means to remove misperceptions and prejudices n Avoid any sign of propaganda (whether positive or negative. n Objectivity is required particularly when relationship with and attitude to NATO are unclear

4 Main NATO-related topics to provide information on n Circumstances, purpose of NATO’s creation, structure; Washington Treaty n Main characteristics, results, ways and means and successes of NATO’s first forty years n NATO’s adaptation to the post-Cold War situation; new challenges, tasks and missions n Establishment and development of partnership with former adversaries and neutrals. n NATO’s enlargement process after Madrid and Prague

5 Experiences and presentation of the development of Hungarian-NATO relations n NATO-accession as an important element of the reintegration into the Euro-Atlantic community of democratic nations. n Catalyzing role of NATO-accession in the democratic reform process. n Indirect linkage between the processes of NATO and EU enlargement; NATO and EU are not alternatives but mutually complementing elements. n Debates on NATO after the change-result: there is no alternative to NATO/EU-membership. n The impact of the NATO accession process of good- neighbourly relations – catalyzing role. n Hungary and NATO’s further enlargement

6 BiH’s neighbours and NATO n Development of relations between neighbours and NATO and their experiences as an example. n The role of relations with NATO in the policies of neighbouring countries (endeavours for Euro-Atlantic integration). n Relations between NATO and BiH’s neighbours – institutional and practical frameworks. n Public opinion of neighbours on NATO; experiences of NATO-related communication, development of p.o.’s attitude

7 Frameworks, techniques and means of communication on NATO n Information on NATO in the printed and electronic media n Brochures (written by domestic and foreign authors) n Open fora, seminars n NATO’S information programs (for various professional groups) n Identification target audiences and specific techniques to appropriately address them

8 Conclusions n NATO as a durable element of Euro-Atlantic security remains relevant. Awareness and clarification and attitude towards NATO remain essential. n Clarification of relations with NATO is an important element in identifying the main direction of BiH’s Euro-Atlantic integration n Intentions regarding NATO-BiH relations need to be clarified by BiH; public opinion is essential to that end. n Genuine, authentic positions require genuine knowledge of objective facts.