North Atlantic Treaty Organization
May 16, 2014
Director General of the International Military Staff visited Pakistan for staff talks
Islamabad: Air Marshal Sir Christopher Harper, Director General of the International Military Staff, visited Pakistan from 12-14 May 2014 where he headed the NATO military delegation holding their annual NATO-Pakistan staff talks. These talks are part of increased dialogue and practical military cooperation with Pakistan, an important global partner.
Air Marshal Harper met with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, General Rashad Mahmood and the Director General of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Muhammad Asif. The discussions were very constructive and centered on mutual trust and cooperation with a special focus on building interoperability, assisting in defense reform and improving dialogue.
Speaking with Lieutenant General Asif, Air Marshal Harper emphasized his appreciation for Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to defeating terrorism and extremism in the region and its valuable and concrete contribution to the Euro-Atlantic security. “Pakistan is an important country in the region and we must continue with our military consultations and cooperation,” he said.
Air Marshal Harper was also welcomed by Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal, President of Pakistan’s National Defence University, where he delivered his speech on NATO’s future…The Air Marshal went onto discuss how NATO was being transformed via initiatives such as Smart Defence and the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) which could benefit all Partners, including Pakistan.
Air Marshal Harper concluded by stating: “NATO stands ready to work with Pakistan. With your significant military forces, your experience, and strongly developing military-civilian relationship, Pakistan, it seems, is NATO’s natural partner for regional security.”
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