As my principal military adviser, Admiral di Paola has, for the past 3 years, been an indispensable source of knowledge and expertise. His support for our joint efforts to reform NATO and its structures and ensure this Alliance is able to meet all the challenges it now faces, has been invaluable.
The Admiral's military expertise and diplomatic skills have also been to the benefit of NATO's partners and our outreach efforts. The increasing role which we see our partners playing in NATO operations is a testimony to the time and effort spent by the Admiral in developing these relations.
I wish him every success in his new role and I look forward to working closely with him in the future.