Allied Defense Ministers to gather at NATO Headquarters

NATO Defence Ministers will come to Brussels on 11-12 June, for their first formal meeting after the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit. They will discuss key challenges related to NATO’s operations, particularly Afghanistan and Kosovo, and the Alliance’s defence transformation efforts.
The meeting will start on Thursday with a working lunch devoted to Kosovo and counter-piracy issues. Ministers will assess the security situation in Kosovo and KFOR’s evolving contribution to a safe and secure environment, on the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1244. They will also discuss NATO’s potential long term role in countering piracy, off the coast of Somalia, as the current counter-piracy Operation Allied Protector comes to an end on 28 June.The Secretary General will then hold a press conference, before opening the meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). The main topic of discussions will focus on enhancement of inter-operability between the 28 NATO members and 22 EAPC Partner countries.Later in the afternoon, the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee (DPC) will welcome three new participants: Albania and Croatia as new NATO members will take their seats at the table for their first Defence Ministers meeting in DPC format, and French Defence Minister Hervé Morin will represent France at the DPC for the first time since its decision to take its full place again in NATO’s military structure. DPC will focus on defence planning mechanisms and analysis of the implication of the financial crisis for defence priorities.Over a working dinner, Ministers will discuss a range of transformation issues, including the future shape and mission of the NATO Response Force (NRF).The meeting on Friday 12 June will open with a session of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) on defence transformation where Defence Ministers will discuss a whole range of issues which have a bearing on capabilities needed to confront current and future security challenges. Such topics as strategic lift, helicopters initiative, cyber defence, Allied Ground Surveillance (AGS) project, Defence Against Terrorism programme and HQ Reform will undoubtedly feature on the agenda.,,more..http://www.defencetalk.com/allied-defense-ministers-to-gather-at-nato-headquarters-19708/