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Ehud Barak: multilateral cooperation as the key to promoting freedom and democracy
13th October 2009
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009, Zofin Palace
Israeli Deputy Prime minister and Defense minister Ehud Barak attended this year’s Forum 2000 Conference as one of the honoured guests. On the second day of panel discussions and debates, Ehud Barak delivered his speech to an audience composed of delegates and the wider public, including former Czech President Vaclav Havel and prominent Middle East peace activist from Gaza, Izzeldin Abuelaish. In his speech Ehud Barak spoke about the role of democracy in the world, particularly in connection with current international security concerns, and the need for world leaders to unite in their efforts to face those threats in order to promote freedom and democracy.
According Ehud Barak, the most precious dream for humanity is life in the framework of a democratic and free society. With regards to Czech historical view of democracy, Barak mentioned the significance of personalities such as Vaclav Havel, for he represents the true spirit of democracy and freedom by being able to sacrifice something in order to achieve it and then to go on to “execute it in an impressive way”.
However, he believes that democracy and freedom has not yet been fully achieved worldwide. “If I could answer the question, how is the situation of democracy and freedom in this multi-polar world today”, began Barak, “I would have to use the old line. In one word ‘good’, in two words ‘not good.’”, adding that “two thirds of the population are not living in democracy, or freedom, or both”. Despite this fact, Ehud Barak said that the way forward “cannot be missed” and we are heading in the right direction.
“The threat of radical terrorism, rogue states and military nuclear proliferation”, combined with “the deep economic crisis and the negative changes in the world climate” are considered by Ehud Barak as the biggest obstacles to the “march towards democracy”. The result of the struggle against these threats will, according to Ehud Barak, “decide the nature and success of the drive towards democracy and freedom, clearly in our corner of the world, clearly in the wider Middle East, and I believe in the whole world.”
Ehud Barak sees the state of Israel as the “focal point” of this struggle, as many of the threats which affect other states are present in close Israeli neighborhood. He mentioned, among others, the presence of rogue states such as Iran, and the continuing threat of particularly Islamic terrorism.
He then spoke more extensively about Iran representing a threat to the whole world by seeking to acquire military nuclear capability. If Iran were to succeed, it will be the end of all hope for a worldwide non-proliferation regime. Other states in the region might be encouraged to acquire the capability, namely Turkey, Egypt or Saudi Arabia. In this context Ehud Barak stressed the need to address the issue of nuclear proliferation more widely and decisively, making special reference to North Korea, as Iran will be closely observing the reactions from the international community with regards to its nuclear weapon development.
Ehud Barak drew attention to the problem of democracies being sometimes too slow to “mobilize themselves” to face threats, suffering from too much skepticism and individualism, although when mobilized, they can be stronger than any “tyranny”. Their cooperation should be based around diplomatic action, intelligence sharing, but also the coordinating of targeted operations. Furthermore, in relation to the current security situation, Ehud Barak considers it to be absolutely essential for the world’s leaders to “join hands” with China, Russia and India, in order to eliminate the common challenges of rogue states, nuclear proliferation and other pressing issues of Afghanistan, Pakistan or Al Qaeda. This will require more than a “paradigm shift” in world relations, states will have to be convinced about this cooperation being real and meaningful. Ehud Barak suggests here to go beyond making democracy a pre-condition to dialogue.
Israeli Deputy Prime minister and Defense minister Ehud Barak attended this year’s Forum 2000 Conference as one of the honoured guests. On the second day of panel discussions and debates, Ehud Barak delivered his speech to an audience composed of delegates and the wider public, including former Czech President Vaclav Havel and prominent Middle East peace activist from Gaza, Izzeldin Abuelaish. In his speech Ehud Barak spoke about the role of democracy in the world, particularly in connection with current international security concerns, and the need for world leaders to unite in their efforts to face those threats in order to promote freedom and democracy.
According Ehud Barak, the most precious dream for humanity is life in the framework of a democratic and free society. With regards to Czech historical view of democracy, Barak mentioned the significance of personalities such as Vaclav Havel, for he represents the true spirit of democracy and freedom by being able to sacrifice something in order to achieve it and then to go on to “execute it in an impressive way”.
However, he believes that democracy and freedom has not yet been fully achieved worldwide. “If I could answer the question, how is the situation of democracy and freedom in this multi-polar world today”, began Barak, “I would have to use the old line. In one word ‘good’, in two words ‘not good.’”, adding that “two thirds of the population are not living in democracy, or freedom, or both”. Despite this fact, Ehud Barak said that the way forward “cannot be missed” and we are heading in the right direction.
“The threat of radical terrorism, rogue states and military nuclear proliferation”, combined with “the deep economic crisis and the negative changes in the world climate” are considered by Ehud Barak as the biggest obstacles to the “march towards democracy”. The result of the struggle against these threats will, according to Ehud Barak, “decide the nature and success of the drive towards democracy and freedom, clearly in our corner of the world, clearly in the wider Middle East, and I believe in the whole world.”
Ehud Barak sees the state of Israel as the “focal point” of this struggle, as many of the threats which affect other states are present in close Israeli neighborhood. He mentioned, among others, the presence of rogue states such as Iran, and the continuing threat of particularly Islamic terrorism.
He then spoke more extensively about Iran representing a threat to the whole world by seeking to acquire military nuclear capability. If Iran were to succeed, it will be the end of all hope for a worldwide non-proliferation regime. Other states in the region might be encouraged to acquire the capability, namely Turkey, Egypt or Saudi Arabia. In this context Ehud Barak stressed the need to address the issue of nuclear proliferation more widely and decisively, making special reference to North Korea, as Iran will be closely observing the reactions from the international community with regards to its nuclear weapon development.
Ehud Barak drew attention to the problem of democracies being sometimes too slow to “mobilize themselves” to face threats, suffering from too much skepticism and individualism, although when mobilized, they can be stronger than any “tyranny”. Their cooperation should be based around diplomatic action, intelligence sharing, but also the coordinating of targeted operations. Furthermore, in relation to the current security situation, Ehud Barak considers it to be absolutely essential for the world’s leaders to “join hands” with China, Russia and India, in order to eliminate the common challenges of rogue states, nuclear proliferation and other pressing issues of Afghanistan, Pakistan or Al Qaeda. This will require more than a “paradigm shift” in world relations, states will have to be convinced about this cooperation being real and meaningful. Ehud Barak suggests here to go beyond making democracy a pre-condition to dialogue.