Reuters
February 5, 2015
NATO to strengthen its presence in eastern Europe
(Excerpt)
NATO defence ministers will on Thursday strengthen the alliance’s presence in eastern Europe by setting up a network of…command centres that could rapidly reinforce the region…
Ministers will also decide on the make-up of a new rapid reaction force and agree to expand a corps-level headquarters in western Poland as part of a plan to bolster NATO’s eastern flank…
The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Douglas Lute, said NATO flags would fly over the Polish headquarters and the six command centres in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and the three Baltic states, where the alliance has had little presence until now.
“These will be the first seven NATO flags in eastern Europe,” he told a news conference.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
February 3, 2015
Defence Ministers to take key decisions on the Readiness Action Plan
At their meeting on Thursday (5 February 2015), NATO Defence Ministers will review progress and take follow-up decisions on what Allied leaders agreed at last September’s Wales Summit. The ministers will particularly focus on the implementation of NATO’s Readiness Action Plan, NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a briefing to the media.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
February 4, 2015
NATO Defence Ministers to discuss the implementation of the Readiness Action Plan and Georgia
NATO Defence Ministers are expected to take important decisions on the implementation of the Readiness Action Plan agreed at the NATO Wales Summit last year, at their one-day meeting on Thursday (5 February 2015). Ministers will decide on the size and composition of the new Spearhead Force, which will enable the Alliance to respond to security challenges to the east posed by Russia and risks emanating from the southern neibourhood, the Middle East and North Africa. This will be the first opportunity since the Wales Summit for NATO Defence Ministers to look at the progress made and look forward to the 2016 Warsaw Summit.
NATO Defence Ministers will also meet in the NATO-Georgia Commission format, together with the Georgian Defence Minister Mindia Janeldidze. They will discuss the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package endorsed at the Wales Summit. The package includes measures aimed at strengthening Georgia’s defence capabilities and helping Georgia advance its preparations for NATO membership. Ministers will also review the ongoing work to establish a Joint Training and Evaluation Centre in Georgia, which will help the country in further modernizing its security forces. NATO and Georgia have a long standing partnership. Georgia has provided a strong contribution to different NATO operations.
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