The Nordic Countries and the European Security and Defence Policy

378 THE NORDIC COUNTRIES, THEIR REGION AND EUROPEeffect of NATO’s Article 5 collective defence guarantee, 63 the Estonian securityconcept emphasizes this guarantee. As Stan Sloan has observed, while themajor West European powers no longer rely on the USA to defend them againstRussia, some of the new allies still see NATO as an important hedge againstRussian power. 64 However, the value of a NATO without the USA is questioned:‘What will happen if the USA is unwilling or unable to assist Estonia?What is NATO’s guarantee worth without the USA?’ asks a commentator in anEstonian newspaper. 65 The role assigned to the EU in Estonia’s 2004 NationalSecurity Concept is as provider of non-military security, covering the issuesfrom the second tier which are important for the state’s development rather thanfor its basic existence. The ESDP, and the military role that the EU is developing,may rely on participation by this dutiful new member, but the ESDP and itsbattle groups are not assigned any significant role in relation to Estonia’snational security priority: the ‘defence of Estonian statehood’. 66For Latvia, the USA, through NATO, is also the main provider of territorialsecurity and the lead actor in the sphere of common defence. The role of theUSA is strong in both multilateral and bilateral relations: ‘Co-operation withthe United States of America is one of the priorities of the foreign policy ofLatvia which should further the resolution of security problems of Latvia’. 67However, the major part of Latvia’s national security concerns relates to stateand society, to the risks to internal security created by economic disparities, andto efforts towards social integration. In order to attain security, Latvia focuseson economic and social development, and in this context the national doctrinepays substantial tribute to the European integration process. A list of specificrecommendations is elaborated in the 2002 National Security Concept,including guidance on diversification of the economy, stability in the energysector, and the liberalization of the agriculture and food industries as a means toimprove public health. 68 The aim of security policy in this context is to preventpoor socio-economic conditions developing into security threats. It is difficultto envisage the USA or NATO being particularly useful in achieving any ofthose objectives. The EU, in contrast, possesses a wide range of economic,social and other instruments ranging from regional development funds to thecoordination of structural measures and, if necessary, the use of the civilian andmilitary tools of the ESDP. Therefore, Latvia’s security political orientation is63 The text of Article 5 of the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty (Treaty of Washington) is available at URL. During a 16 Mar. 2004 seminar at the Baltic Defence College,Rob de Wijk of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence argued to civil servants from the EstonianMinistry of Defence and the Estonian General Staff that Article 5 does not come into effect automaticallyand it is doubtful whether an action would be initiated at all. See also Wijk, R. de, NATO on the Brink ofthe New Millennium: the Battle for Consensus (Brassey’s: London, 1997), pp. 116–51.64 Sloan (note 40).65 Lobjakas (note 17) (author’s translation).66 Estonian Ministry of Defence, ‘National Defence Development Priorities 2004’, Tallinn, 24 Mar.2004, URL , section 10.67 Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (note 9), section 3.1.68 Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (note 9), section 2.2.