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Good evening.
We have just held our first-ever meeting of ministers dedicated to cyber defence, and
NATO's role in protecting vital computer systems.
This is a serious challenge, and we are taking it seriously. Because cyber-attacks are getting
more common, more complex, and more dangerous. They come without warning. From anywhere in
the world. And they can have devastating consequences.
We at NATO are already confronting this threat. Last year alone, we dealt with over 2,500
significant cases. That is one every three hours, day and night, every day of the year.
And despite the increasing sophistication of these attacks, our security has not been
compromised.
Protecting our networks is NATO's primary task. But that is the minimum we should aim
for. So today we have agreed how we can move forward in cyber-defence as an Alliance.
We are all closely connected. So an attack on one Ally, if not dealt with quickly and
effectively, can affect us all. Cyber-defence is only as effective as the weakest link in
the chain. By working together, we strengthen the chain.
We all agree that our cyber-defence capability should be fully operational by the autumn,
extending our protection to all the networks owned and operated by the Alliance.
We agreed that we will continue our discussion at our next meeting in October on how NATO can support
and assist Allies who request assistance if they come under cyber attack. We will do that
on the basis of a detailed report that we have tasked today.
Cyber-attacks do not stop at national borders. Our defences should not, either.
Today, we also discussed how to make sure this Alliance has the full range of capabilities
we need to deal with the full range of threats.
Defence budgets are falling, and the cost of modern capabilities is rising. There is
an imbalance between what we have and what we need, with significant shortfalls in some
areas, such as air-to-air refuelling and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. And there
is an imbalance between the burden carried by individual Allies.
These are challenges we are addressing, but we need to do more. There is a lower limit
for what we can spend on defence. And in some cases we have now reached it.
To reverse that trend, we must hold the line on defence spending, and look to increase
it as our economies recover.
We must make the best use of the money we have, through better, smarter cooperation.
And European countries must do more to relieve the unequal burden which is currently being
carried by the United States.
Some European countries are already increasing their spending, despite the crisis, or have
committed to do so. And today, a number of ministers expressed their interest in further
multinational projects, to fill some of the gaps we face.
These are steps in the right direction and I welcome them.
Enfin, un mot de la Libye.
La semaine dernière, le premier ministre libyen a demandé à l'OTAN d'envisager de
donner un avis sur la création des forces de sécurité nationales.
L'OTAN dispose dans ce domaine d'une expertise sans égale, accumulée sur plus de soixante
ans. Hier, les Alliés ont décidé d'envoyer une délégation d'experts en Libye, afin
de voir comment l'OTAN pourrait répondre au mieux à cette demande. Les ministres se
félicitent de cette décision. Et nous attendons avec intérêt de pouvoir examiner attentivement
le rapport d'évaluation de cette délégation dans les semaines à venir.
And with that, I am ready to take your questions.