From a Norwegian perspective the Riga summit was very successful and constitutes a good basis for NATO’s work towards the next summit in 2008.
At Riga NATO Heads of State and Government decided to invite Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia into the Partnership for Peace. From a Norwegian perspective this invitation is tremendously important in bringing these countries closer to the Euro-Atlantic family.
Another important aspect of the Riga summit was the increased emphasis Heads of State and Government put on the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. ISAF’s role of providing stability in the country will not succeed without social and economic development. From a Norwegian perspective it is crucial that other international organizations and the Afghan government fulfil their roles and responsibilities, and it was therefore important that NATO’s Heads of State and Government underlined this at Riga. The United Nations will have to take on a clear coordinating role of international efforts in Afghanistan.