Visit of Academics and Journalists from the State of Qatar to NATO
On 3 and 4 September 2013, the NATO Political Affairs and Security Policy Division organised a visit to NATO Headquarters for a group of Qatari academics and journalists, who were visiting Brussels as part of NATO’s public diplomacy activities under the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI).
Topics discussed included NATO’s Istanbul Cooperation Initiative; NATO’s Current Political Agenda; Military Cooperation in the Framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative; NATO’s Transformation and Outreach to the Middle East and the Gulf region; NATO’s role in Counter Terrorism; NATO’s operations; and new emerging security challenges and energy security.
The group met with H.E. Ambassador Thrasylvoulos Terry Stamatopoulos, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, with H.E. Ambassador Haydar Berk, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the North Atlantic Council, H.E Ambassador Gabriele Checchia, Permanent Representative of Italy to the North Atlantic Council and Ms. Alice Guitton, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the North Atlantic Council, with Dr. Jamie Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, with Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head, Middle East and North Africa Countries Section in NATO’s Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, Ms. Juliette Bird, Head, Counter-Terrorism Section, Emerging Security Challenges Division, with Ms. Theodora Adekunle, Officer, Operations Section A, Operations Division, with Rear Admiral Emil Eftimov, Director, Cooperation and Regional Security Division, International Military Staff, with Mr. Damien Arnaud, Head, NATO Press and Media Section, Public Diplomacy Division, and with Dr. Rolf Schwarz, Political Officer, Middle East and North Africa Section, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division.